DNA vectors, transposons and transposases for eukaryotic genome modification

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides polynucleotide vectors for high expression of heterologous genes. Some vectors further comprise novel transposons and transposases that further improve expression. Further disclosed are vectors that can be used in a gene transfer system for stably introducing nucleic acids into the DNA of a cell. The gene transfer systems can be used in methods, for example, gene expression, bioprocessing, gene therapy, insertional mutagenesis, or gene discovery.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a non-provisional of 62/239,109 filed Oct. 8, 2015,62/325,872 filed Apr. 21, 2016 and 62/373,422 filed Aug. 11, 2016, eachincorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes. The presentapplication is also related to 61/977,474 filed Apr. 9, 2014, 62/003,397filed May 17, 2014, 62/046,875 filed Sep. 5, 2014, 62/046,705, filedSep. 5, 2014, 62/069,656 filed Oct. 28, 2014, 62/120,522 filed Feb. 25,2015 PCT/US2015/025209, filed Apr. 9, 2015, each incorporated byreference in its entirety for all purposes.

REFERENCE TO A SEQUENCE LISTING

The application refers to sequences disclosed in a txt file named486539_SEQLST.TXT, of 4,299,792 bytes, created Dec. 19, 2016,incorporated by reference.

2. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The efficiency with which a first polynucleotide can effect theintegration of heterologous DNA into the genome of a target cell dependson the configuration of sequence elements within the polynucleotide. Theexpression levels of genes encoded by the integrated heterologous DNAalso depend on the configuration of sequence elements within theintegrated heterologous DNA. The efficiency of integration, the size ofthe heterologous DNA sequence that can be integrated, the number ofcopies of the heterologous DNA sequence that are integrated into eachgenome and the type of genomic loci where integration occurs can oftenbe further improved by placing the heterologous DNA into a transposon.

Transposons comprise two ends that are recognized by a transposase. Thetransposase acts on the transposon to remove it from one DNA moleculeand integrate it into another. The DNA between the two transposon endsis transposed by the transposase along with the transposon ends.Heterologous DNA flanked by a pair of transposon ends, such that it isrecognized and transposed by a transposase is referred to herein as asynthetic transposon. Introduction of a synthetic transposon and acorresponding transposase into the nucleus of a eukaryotic cell mayresult in transposition of the transposon into the genome of the cell.More active (hyperactive) transposons and transposases result in ahigher frequency of transposition, leading to a higher fraction of cellswhose genomes contain an integrated copy of the transposon and/or cellswhose genomes contain a larger number of integrated copies of thetransposon. These outcomes are useful because they increasetransformation efficiencies and because they can increase expressionlevels from integrated heterologous DNA. There is thus a need in the artfor hyperactive transposases and transposons.

Transposition by a piggyBac-like transposase is perfectly reversible.The transposon is initially integrated at an integration target sequencein a recipient DNA molecule, during which the target sequence becomesduplicated at each end of the transposon inverted terminal repeats(ITRs). Subsequent transposition removes the transposon and restores therecipient DNA to its former sequence, with the target sequenceduplication and the transposon removed. However, this is not sufficientto remove a transposon from a genome into which it has been integrated,as it is highly likely that the transposon will be excised from thefirst integration target sequence but integrated into a secondintegration target sequence in the genome. Transposases that aredeficient for the integration function, on the other hand, can excisethe transposon from the first target sequence, but will be unable tointegrate into a second target sequence. Integration-deficienttransposases are thus useful for reversing the genomic integration of atransposon.

3. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Heterologous gene expression from polynucleotide constructs that stablyintegrate into a target cell genome can be improved by placing theexpression polynucleotide between a pair of transposon ends: sequenceelements that are recognized and transposed by transposases. DNAsequences inserted between a pair of transposon ends can be excised by atransposase from one DNA molecule and inserted into a second DNAmolecule. Two novel piggyBac-like transposon-transposase systems aredisclosed that are not derived from the looper moth Trichoplusia ni; oneis derived from the silkworm Bombyx mori and the other is derived fromthe frog Xenopus tropicalis. Each of these comprises sequences thatfunction as transposon ends and that can be used in conjunction with acorresponding transposase that recognizes and acts on those transposonends, as gene transfer systems for stably introducing nucleic acids intothe DNA of a cell. Hyperactive and integration-deficient transposasevariants are also disclosed.

Thus, the invention provides sequences of hyperactive Xenopustransposases that are at least 90% identical to SEQ ID NO: 61, andpositions and amino acid substitutions that can be introduced either toenhance transposase activity, or to maintain function of the transposaseThe invention also provides sequences of transposon ends comprising atleast 16 contiguous bases from SEQ ID NO: 7 and at least 16 contiguousbases from SEQ ID NO: 16, and inverted terminal repeats SEQ ID NO: 19.These sequences, when placed on either side of a heterologouspolynucleotide, create a synthetic Xenopus transposon which can beexcised from a polynucleotide by Xenopus transposases. The synthetictransposon may be integrated into a target genome by a Xenopustransposase.

The invention provides sequences of hyperactive Bombyx transposases thatare at least 90% identical to SEQ ID NO: 415, and positions and aminoacid substitutions that can be introduced either to enhance transposaseactivity, or to maintain function of the transposase The invention alsoprovides sequences of transposon ends comprising at least 16 contiguousbases from SEQ ID NO: 25 and at least 16 contiguous bases from SEQ IDNO: 31, and inverted terminal repeats that are at least 87% identical toSEQ ID NO: 33. These sequences, when placed on either side of aheterologous polynucleotide, create a synthetic Bombyx transposon whichcan be excised from a polynucleotide by Bombyx transposases. Thesynthetic transposon may be integrated into a target genome by a Bombyxtransposase.

The invention provides methods for integrating a heterologouspolynucleotide into the genome of a target cell, by introducing aXenopus transposon and a Xenopus transposase, or a Bombyx transposaseand a Bombyx transposon, into a target cell. The transposase may beintroduced as protein, or as a polynucleotide encoding the transposaseand expressible in the target cell.

The invention also provides vector configurations, including transposonconfigurations, that are particularly advantageous for expression ofgenes in mammalian systems.

The transposons and transposases of the present invention can be used inmethods, for example, but not limited to, heterologous gene expression,gene therapy, insertional mutagenesis, or gene discovery.

4. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE CONSTRUCT COMPOSITIONS AND EXPERIMENTALPROCEDURES 4.1 Construct Compositions

SEQ ID NO: 39 contains a weak promoter (the murine phosphoglyceratekinase (PGK) promoter, SEQ ID NO: 937), operably linked to a single openreading frame encoding DasherGFP translationally coupled via a CHYSELsequence to puromycin N-acetyl transferase, followed by thepolyadenylation signal from human beta globin.

SEQ ID NO: 40 comprises a weak promoter (the murine phosphoglyceratekinase (PGK) promoter, SEQ ID NO: 937), operably linked to an openreading frame encoding puromycin N-acetyl transferase, followed by thepolyadenylation signal from human beta globin. SEQ ID NO: 40 alsocomprises the EF1a promoter operably linked to a gene encoding DasherGFPfollowed by expression enhancing elements SEQ ID 866 and the rabbitglobin polyadenylation sequence.

4.2 Experimental Procedures 4.2.1 Transfection and Selection of CHO-K1

CHO-K1 cells (from ATCC) were grown in F12-K (from ATCC)+10% FBS (fromATCC)+1% Penicillin-streptomycin (from ATCC) at 37° C., 5% CO₂ to 80%confluence. 500,000 cells were plated in 24-well tissue culture platesand incubated at 37° C., 5% CO₂ for 24 hours prior to transfection.Transfections were performed in triplicate. Each transfection used atotal of 500-1,000 ng DNA with Roche Extreme Gene 9 reagent (2:1 ratio)as per manufacturer's protocol. Media with 50 μg/ml puromycin was added72 hours post transfection. Puromycin selection was carried out for 72hours, after which puromycin was removed. Cells were grown for 14 dayspost puromycin selection with two passages and changes of media. Cellswere harvested by scraping and measured in a fluorimetric plate reader.

4.2.2 Transfection and Selection of CHO-S

CHO-S cells (from ATCC) were grown in CHOgro expression medium (fromMirus) at 37° C., 5% CO₂ and seeded at 2×10⁶ cells/ml. 1 ml of cellswere transfected with 1 μg total nucleic acid. Transfections wereperformed in duplicate. Each transfection used Mirus Transit-Pro andMirus TransIT-mRNA reagent as per manufacturer's protocol. Media withpuromycin was added 72 hours post transfection. Puromycin selection wascarried out for the number of days indicated, with a complete mediachange into fresh puromycin-containing media after 5 days.

4.2.3 mRNA Preparation

mRNA encoding transposases was prepared by in vitro transcription usingT7 RNA polymerase. The mRNA comprised a 5′ sequence SEQ ID NO: 699preceding the sequence encoding the open reading frame, and a 3′sequence SEQ ID NO: 700 following the stop codon at the end of the openreading frame. The mRNA had an anti-reverse cap analog(3′-O-Me-m⁷G(5′)ppp(5′)G, and was fully substituted with pseudo-uridineand 5-methyl-cytosine.

5. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 5.1 Definitions

Use of the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referencesunless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example,reference to “a polynucleotide” includes a plurality of polynucleotides,reference to “a substrate” includes a plurality of such substrates,reference to “a variant” includes a plurality of variants, and the like.

Terms such as “connected,” “attached,” “linked,” and “conjugated” areused interchangeably herein and encompass direct as well as indirectconnection, attachment, linkage or conjugation unless the contextclearly dictates otherwise. Where a range of values is recited, it is tobe understood that each intervening integer value, and each fractionthereof, between the recited upper and lower limits of that range isalso specifically disclosed, along with each subrange between suchvalues. The upper and lower limits of any range can independently beincluded in or excluded from the range, and each range where either,neither or both limits are included is also encompassed within theinvention. Where a value being discussed has inherent limits, forexample where a component can be present at a concentration of from 0 to100%, or where the pH of an aqueous solution can range from 1 to 14,those inherent limits are specifically disclosed. Where a value isexplicitly recited, it is to be understood that values which are aboutthe same quantity or amount as the recited value are also within thescope of the invention. Where a combination is disclosed, each subcombination of the elements of that combination is also specificallydisclosed and is within the scope of the invention. Conversely, wheredifferent elements or groups of elements are individually disclosed,combinations thereof are also disclosed. Where any element of aninvention is disclosed as having a plurality of alternatives, examplesof that invention in which each alternative is excluded singly or in anycombination with the other alternatives are also hereby disclosed; morethan one element of an invention can have such exclusions, and allcombinations of elements having such exclusions are hereby disclosed.

Unless defined otherwise herein, all technical and scientific terms usedherein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinaryskill in the art to which this invention belongs. Singleton, et al.,Dictionary of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, 2nd Ed., John Wileyand Sons, New York (1994), and Hale & Marham, The Harper CollinsDictionary of Biology, Harper Perennial, N Y, 1991, provide one of skillwith a general dictionary of many of the terms used in this invention.Although any methods and materials similar or equivalent to thosedescribed herein can be used in the practice or testing of the presentinvention, the preferred methods and materials are described. Unlessotherwise indicated, nucleic acids are written left to right in 5′ to 3′orientation; amino acid sequences are written left to right in amino tocarboxy orientation, respectively. The terms defined immediately beloware more fully defined by reference to the specification as a whole.

The “configuration” of a polynucleotide means the functional sequenceelements within the polynucleotide, and the order and direction of thoseelements.

The terms “corresponding transposon” and “corresponding transposase” areused to indicate an activity relationship between a transposase and atransposon. A transposase transposases its corresponding transposon.Many transposases may correspond with a single transposon, for exampleall of SEQ ID NOS: 52-402 are corresponding transposases for transposonSEQ ID NO: 44). A transposon is transposed by its correspondingtransposase. Many transposons may correspond with a single transposase,for example the transposons shown in Table 5 rows 4-21 are allcorresponding transposons for transposase SEQ ID NO: 48.

The term “counter-selectable marker” means a polynucleotide sequencethat confers a selective disadvantage on a host cell. Examples ofcounter-selectable markers include sacB, rpsL, tetAR, pheS, thyA,gata-1, ccdB, kid and barnase (Bernard, 1995, Journal/Gene, 162:159-160; Bernard et al., 1994. Journal/Gene, 148: 71-74; Gabant et al.,1997, Journal/Biotechniques, 23: 938-941; Gababt et al., 1998,Journal/Gene, 207: 87-92; Gababt et al., 2000, Journal/Biotechniques,28: 784-788; Galvao and de Lorenzo, 2005, Journal/Appl EnvironMicrobiol, 71: 883-892; Hartzog et al., 2005, Journal/Yeat, 22:789-798;Knipfer et al., 1997, Journal/Plasmid, 37: 129-140; Reyrat et al., 1998,Journal/Infect Immun, 66: 4011-4017; Soderholm et al., 2001,Journal/Biotechniques, 31: 306-310, 312; Tamura et al., 2005,Journal/Appl Environ Microbiol, 71: 587-590; Yazynin et al., 1999,Journal/FEBS Lett, 452: 351-354). Counter-selectable markers oftenconfer their selective disadvantage in specific contexts. For example,they may confer sensitivity to compounds that can be added to theenvironment of the host cell, or they may kill a host with one genotypebut not kill a host with a different genotype. Conditions which do notconfer a selective disadvantage on a cell carrying a counter-selectablemarker are described as “permissive”. Conditions which do confer aselective disadvantage on a cell carrying a counter-selectable markerare described as “restrictive”.

The term “coupling element” or “translational coupling element” means aDNA sequence that allows the expression of a first polypeptide to belinked to the expression of a second polypeptide. Internal ribosomeentry site elements (IRES elements) and cis-acting hydrolase elements(CHYSEL elements) are examples of coupling elements.

The terms “DNA sequence”, “RNA sequence” or “polynucleotide sequence”mean a contiguous nucleic acid sequence. The sequence can be anoligonucleotide of 2 to 20 nucleotides in length to a full lengthgenomic sequence of thousands or hundreds of thousands of base pairs.

The term “expression construct” means any polynucleotide designed totranscribe an RNA. For example, a construct that contains at least onepromoter which is or may be operably linked to a downstream gene, codingregion, or polynucleotide sequence (for example, a cDNA or genomic DNAfragment that encodes a polypeptide or protein, or an RNA effectormolecule, for example, an antisense RNA, triplex-forming RNA, ribozyme,an artificially selected high affinity RNA ligand (aptamer), adouble-stranded RNA, for example, an RNA molecule comprising a stem-loopor hairpin dsRNA, or a bi-finger or multi-finger dsRNA or a microRNA, orany RNA). An “expression vector” is a polynucleotide comprising apromoter which can be operably linked to a second polynucleotide.Transfection or transformation of the expression construct into arecipient cell allows the cell to express an RNA effector molecule,polypeptide, or protein encoded by the expression construct. Anexpression construct may be a genetically engineered plasmid, virus,recombinant virus, or an artificial chromosome derived from, forexample, a bacteriophage, adenovirus, adeno-associated virus,retrovirus, lentivirus, poxvirus, or herpesvirus. Such expressionvectors can include sequences from bacteria, viruses or phages. Suchvectors include chromosomal, episomal and virus-derived vectors, forexample, vectors derived from bacterial plasmids, bacteriophages, yeastepisomes, yeast chromosomal elements, and viruses, vectors derived fromcombinations thereof, such as those derived from plasmid andbacteriophage genetic elements, cosmids and phagemids. An expressionconstruct can be replicated in a living cell, or it can be madesynthetically. For purposes of this application, the terms “expressionconstruct”, “expression vector”, “vector”, and “plasmid” are usedinterchangeably to demonstrate the application of the invention in ageneral, illustrative sense, and are not intended to limit the inventionto a particular type of expression construct.

The term “expression polypeptide” means a polypeptide encoded by a geneon an expression construct.

The term “expression system” means any in vivo or in vitro biologicalsystem that is used to produce one or more gene product encoded by apolynucleotide.

A “gene transfer system” comprises a vector or gene transfer vector, ora polynucleotide comprising the gene to be transferred which is clonedinto a vector (a “gene transfer polynucleotide” or “gene transferconstruct”). A gene transfer system may also comprise other features tofacilitate the process of gene transfer. For example, a gene transfersystem may comprise a vector and a lipid or viral packaging mix forenabling a first polynucleotide to enter a cell, or it may comprise apolynucleotide that includes a transposon and a second polynucleotidesequence encoding a corresponding transposase to enhance productivegenomic integration of the transposon. The transposases and transposonsof a gene transfer system may be on the same nucleic acid molecule or ondifferent nucleic acid molecules. The transposase of a gene transfersystem may be provided as a polynucleotide or as a polypeptide.

Two elements are “heterologous” to one another if not naturallyassociated. For example, a nucleic acid sequence encoding a proteinlinked to a heterologous promoter means a promoter other than that whichnaturally drives expression of the protein. A heterologous nucleic acidflanked by transposon ends or ITRs means a heterologous nucleic acid notnaturally flanked by those transposon ends or ITRs, such as a nucleicacid encoding a polypeptide other than a transposase, including anantibody heavy or light chain. A nucleic acid is heterologous to a cellif not naturally found in the cell or if naturally found in the cell butin a different location (e.g., episomal or different genomic location)than the location described.

The term “host” means any prokaryotic or eukaryotic organism that can bea recipient of a nucleic acid. A “host,” as the term is used herein,includes prokaryotic or eukaryotic organisms that can be geneticallyengineered. For examples of such hosts, see Maniatis et al., MolecularCloning. A Laboratory Manual, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold SpringHarbor, N.Y. (1982). As used herein, the terms “host,” “host cell,”“host system” and “expression host” can be used interchangeably.

A “hyperactive” transposase is a transposase that is more active thanthe naturally occurring transposase from which it is derived.“Hyperactive” transposases are thus not naturally occurring sequences.Hyperactive Xenopus transposases are those that are more active than SEQID NO: 48. Hyperactive Bombyx transposases are those that are moreactive than SEQ ID NO: 407.

‘Integration defective’ means a transposase that can excise itscorresponding transposon, but that integrates the excised transposon ata lower frequency into the host genome than a corresponding naturallyoccurring transposase. Integration defective Xenopus transposases aredeficient relative to SEQ ID NO: 48. Integration defective Bombyxtransposases are deficient relative to SEQ ID NO: 407.

An “IRES” or “internal ribosome entry site” means a specialized sequencethat directly promotes ribosome binding, independent of a cap structure.

An ‘isolated’ polypeptide or polynucleotide means a polypeptide orpolynucleotide that has been either removed from its naturalenvironment, produced using recombinant techniques, or chemically orenzymatically synthesized. Polypeptides or polynucleotides of thisinvention may be purified, that is, essentially free from any otherpolypeptide or polynucleotide and associated cellular products or otherimpurities.

The terms “nucleoside” and “nucleotide” include those moieties whichcontain not only the known purine and pyrimidine bases, but also otherheterocyclic bases which have been modified. Such modifications includemethylated purines or pyrimidines, acylated purines or pyrimidines, orother heterocycles. Modified nucleosides or nucleotides can also includemodifications on the sugar moiety, for example, where one or more of thehydroxyl groups are replaced with halogen, aliphatic groups, or isfunctionalized as ethers, amines, or the like. The term “nucleotidicunit” is intended to encompass nucleosides and nucleotides.

An “Open Reading Frame” or “ORF” means a portion of a polynucleotidethat, when translated into amino acids, contains no stop codons. Thegenetic code reads DNA sequences in groups of three base pairs, whichmeans that a double-stranded DNA molecule can read in any of sixpossible reading frames-three in the forward direction and three in thereverse. An ORF typically also includes an initiation codon at whichtranslation may start.

The term “operably linked” refers to functional linkage between twosequences such that one sequence modifies the behavior of the other. Forexample, a first polynucleotide comprising a nucleic acid expressioncontrol sequence (such as a promoter, IRES sequence, enhancer or arrayof transcription factor binding sites) and a second polynucleotide areoperably linked if the first polynucleotide affects transcription and/ortranslation of the second polynucleotide. Similarly, a first amino acidsequence comprising a secretion signal or a subcellular localizationsignal and a second amino acid sequence are operably linked if the firstamino acid sequence causes the second amino acid sequence to be secretedor localized to a subcellular location.

The term “overhang” or “DNA overhang” means the single-stranded portionat the end of a double-stranded DNA molecule. Complementary overhangsare those which will base-pair with each other.

A “piggyBac-like transposase” means a transposase with at least 20%sequence identity as identified using the TBLASTN algorithm to thepiggyBac transposase from Trichoplusia ni (SEQ ID NO: 698), and as morefully described in Sakar, A. et. al., (2003). Mol. Gen. Genomics 270:173-180. “Molecular evolutionary analysis of the widespread piggyBactransposon family and related ‘domesticated’ species”, and furthercharacterized by a DDE-like DDD motif, with aspartate residues atpositions corresponding to D268, D346, and D447 of Trichoplusia nipiggyBac transposase on maximal alignment. PiggyBac-like transposasesare also characterized by their ability to excise their transposonsprecisely with a high frequency. A “piggyBac-like transposon” means atransposon having transposon ends which are the same or at least 80% andpreferably at least 90, 95, 96, 97, 98 or 99% identical to thetransposon ends of a naturally occurring transposon that encodes apiggyBac-like transposase. A piggyBac-like transposon includes aninverted terminal repeat (ITR) sequence of approximately 12-16 bases ateach end, and is flanked on each side by a 4 base sequence correspondingto the integration target sequence which is duplicated on transposonintegration (the Target Site Duplication or Target Sequence Duplicationor TSD). PiggyBac-like transposons and transposases occur naturally in awide range of organisms including Argyrogramma agnate (GU477713),Anopheles gambiae (XP_312615; XP_320414; XP_310729), Aphis gossypii(GU329918), Acyrthosiphon pisum (XP_001948139), Agrotis ypsilon(GU477714), Bombyx mori (BAD11135), Ciona intestinalis (XP_002123602),Chilo suppressalis (JX294476), Drosophila melanogaster (AAL39784),Daphnia pulicaria (AAM76342), Helicoverpa armigera (ABS18391), Homosapiens (NP_689808), Heliothis virescens (ABD76335), Macdunnoughiacrassisigna (EU287451), Macaca fascicularis (AB179012), Mus musculus(NP_741958), Pectinophora gossypiella (GU270322), Rattus norvegicus(XP_220453), Tribolium castaneum (XP_001814566), Trichoplusia ni(AAA87375) and Xenopus tropicalis (BAF82026), although transpositionactivity has been described for almost none of these.

The terms “polynucleotide,” “oligonucleotide,” “nucleic acid” and“nucleic acid molecule” and “gene” are used interchangeably to refer toa polymeric form of nucleotides of any length, and may compriseribonucleotides, deoxyribonucleotides, analogs thereof, or mixturesthereof. This term refers only to the primary structure of the molecule.Thus, the term includes triple-, double- and single-strandeddeoxyribonucleic acid (“DNA”), as well as triple-, double- andsingle-stranded ribonucleic acid (“RNA”). It also includes modified, forexample by alkylation, and/or by capping, and unmodified forms of thepolynucleotide. More particularly, the terms “polynucleotide,”“oligonucleotide,” “nucleic acid” and “nucleic acid molecule” includepolydeoxyribonucleotides (containing 2-deoxy-D-ribose),polyribonucleotides (containing D-ribose), including tRNA, rRNA, hRNA,siRNA and mRNA, whether spliced or unspliced, any other type ofpolynucleotide which is an N- or C-glycoside of a purine or pyrimidinebase, and other polymers containing nonnucleotidic backbones, forexample, polyamide (for example, peptide nucleic acids (“PNAs”)) andpolymorpholino (commercially available from the Anti-Virals, Inc.,Corvallis, Oreg., as Neugene) polymers, and other syntheticsequence-specific nucleic acid polymers providing that the polymerscontain nucleobases in a configuration which allows for base pairing andbase stacking, such as is found in DNA and RNA. There is no intendeddistinction in length between the terms “polynucleotide,”“oligonucleotide,” “nucleic acid” and “nucleic acid molecule,” and theseterms are used interchangeably herein. These terms refer only to theprimary structure of the molecule. Thus, these terms include, forexample, 3′-deoxy-2′, 5′-DNA, oligodeoxyribonucleotide N3′ P5′phosphoramidates, 2′-O-alkyl-substituted RNA, double- andsingle-stranded DNA, as well as double- and single-stranded RNA, andhybrids thereof including for example hybrids between DNA and RNA orbetween PNAs and DNA or RNA, and also include known types ofmodifications, for example, labels, alkylation, “caps,” substitution ofone or more of the nucleotides with an analog, internucleotidemodifications such as, for example, those with uncharged linkages (forexample, methyl phosphonates, phosphotriesters, phosphoramidates,carbamates, or the like) with negatively charged linkages (for example,phosphorothioates, phosphorodithioates, or the like), and withpositively charged linkages (for example, aminoalkylphosphoramidates,aminoalkylphosphotriesters), those containing pendant moieties, such as,for example, proteins (including enzymes (for example, nucleases),toxins, antibodies, signal peptides, poly-L-lysine, or the like), thosewith intercalators (for example, acridine, psoralen, or the like), thosecontaining chelates (of, for example, metals, radioactive metals, boron,oxidative metals, or the like), those containing alkylators, those withmodified linkages (for example, alpha anomeric nucleic acids, or thelike), as well as unmodified forms of the polynucleotide oroligonucleotide.

A “promoter” means a nucleic acid sequence sufficient to directtranscription of an operably linked nucleic acid molecule. Also includedin this definition are those transcription control elements (forexample, enhancers) that are sufficient to render promoter-dependentgene expression controllable in a cell type-specific, tissue-specific,or temporal-specific manner, or that are inducible by external signalsor agents; such elements, may be within the 3′ region of a gene orwithin an intron. Desirably, a promoter is operably linked to a nucleicacid sequence, for example, a cDNA or a gene sequence, or an effectorRNA coding sequence, in such a way as to enable expression of thenucleic acid sequence, or a promoter is provided in an expressioncassette into which a selected nucleic acid sequence to be transcribedcan be conveniently inserted.

The term “selectable marker” means a polynucleotide segment that allowsone to select for or against a molecule or a cell that contains it,often under particular conditions. These markers can encode an activity,such as, but not limited to, production of RNA, peptide, or protein, orcan provide a binding site for RNA, peptides, proteins, inorganic andorganic compounds or compositions. Examples of selectable markersinclude but are not limited to: (1) DNA segments that encode productswhich provide resistance against otherwise toxic compounds (e.g.,antibiotics); (2) DNA segments that encode products which are otherwiselacking in the recipient cell (e.g., tRNA genes, auxotrophic markers);(3) DNA segments that encode products which suppress the activity of agene product; (4) DNA segments that encode products which can be readilyidentified (e.g., phenotypic markers such as beta-galactosidase, greenfluorescent protein (GFP), and cell surface proteins); (5) DNA segmentsthat bind products which are otherwise detrimental to cell survivaland/or function; (6) DNA segments that otherwise inhibit the activity ofany of the DNA segments described in Nos. 1-5 above (e.g., antisenseoligonucleotides); (7) DNA segments that bind products that modify asubstrate (e.g. restriction endonucleases); (8) DNA segments that can beused to isolate a desired molecule (e.g. specific protein bindingsites); (9) DNA segments that encode a specific nucleotide sequencewhich can be otherwise non-functional (e.g., for PCR amplification ofsubpopulations of molecules); and/or (10) DNA segments, which whenabsent, directly or indirectly confer sensitivity to particularcompounds.

Sequence identity can be determined by aligning sequences usingalgorithms, such as BESTFIT, FASTA, and TFASTA in the Wisconsin GeneticsSoftware Package Release 7.0, Genetics Computer Group, 575 Science Dr.,Madison, Wis.), using default gap parameters, or by inspection, and thebest alignment (i.e., resulting in the highest percentage of sequencesimilarity over a comparison window). Percentage of sequence identity iscalculated by comparing two optimally aligned sequences over a window ofcomparison, determining the number of positions at which the identicalresidues occurs in both sequences to yield the number of matchedpositions, dividing the number of matched positions by the total numberof matched and mismatched positions not counting gaps in the window ofcomparison (i.e., the window size), and multiplying the result by 100 toyield the percentage of sequence identity. Unless otherwise indicatedthe window of comparison between two sequences is defined by the entirelength of the shorter of the two sequences.

A “target nucleic acid” is a nucleic acid into which a transposon is tobe inserted. Such a target can be part of a chromosome, episome orvector.

An “integration target sequence” or “target sequence” or “target site”for a transposase is a site or sequence in a target DNA molecule intowhich a transposon can be inserted by a transposase. The piggyBactransposase from Trichoplusia ni inserts its transposon predominantlyinto the target sequence 5′-TTAA-3′. PiggyBac-like transposasestranspose their transposons using a cut-and-paste mechanism, whichresults in duplication of their 4 base pair target sequence on insertioninto a DNA molecule. The target sequence is thus found on each side ofan integrated piggyBac-like transposon.

The term “translation” refers to the process by which a polypeptide issynthesized by a ribosome ‘reading’ the sequence of a polynucleotide.

A ‘transposase’ is a polypeptide that catalyzes the excision of acorresponding transposon from a donor polynucleotide, for example avector, and (providing the transposase is not integration-deficient) thesubsequent integration of the transposon into a target nucleic acid. A“Bombyx transposase” means a transposase with at least 80% sequenceidentity to SEQ ID NO 407, including hyperactive variants of SEQ ID NO407, that are able to transposase a corresponding transposon. A “Xenopustransposase” means a transposase with at least 80% sequence identity toSEQ ID NO 48, including hyperactive variants of SEQ ID NO 48, that areable, when fused to a heterologous nuclear localization sequence, totransposase a corresponding transposon.

The term “transposition” is used herein to mean the action of atransposase in excising a transposon from one polynucleotide and thenintegrating it, either into a different site in the same polynucleotide,or into a second polynucleotide.

The term “transposon” means a polynucleotide that can be excised from afirst polynucleotide, for instance, a vector, and be integrated into asecond position in the same polynucleotide, or into a secondpolynucleotide, for instance, the genomic or extrachromosomal DNA of acell, by the action of a corresponding trans-acting transposase. Atransposon comprises a first transposon end and a second transposon end,which are polynucleotide sequences recognized by and transposed by atransposase. A transposon usually further comprises a firstpolynucleotide sequence between the two transposon ends, such that thefirst polynucleotide sequence is transposed along with the twotransposon ends by the action of the transposase. Natural transposonsfrequently comprise DNA encoding a transposase that acts on thetransposon. Transposons of the present invention are “synthetictransposons” comprising a heterologous polynucleotide sequence which istransposable by virtue of its juxtaposition between two transposon ends.

The term “transposon end” means the cis-acting nucleotide sequences thatare sufficient for recognition by and transposition by a correspondingtransposase. Transposon ends of piggyBac-like transposons compriseperfect or imperfect repeats such that the respective repeats in the twotransposon ends are reverse complements of each other. These arereferred to as inverted terminal repeats (ITR) or terminal invertedrepeats (TIR). A transposon end may or may not include additionalsequence proximal to the ITR that promotes or augments transposition.

The term “vector” or “DNA vector” or “gene transfer vector” refers to apolynucleotide that is used to perform a “carrying” function for anotherpolynucleotide. For example, vectors are often used to allow apolynucleotide to be propagated within a living cell, or to allow apolynucleotide to be packaged for delivery into a cell, or to allow apolynucleotide to be integrated into the genomic DNA of a cell. A vectormay further comprise additional functional elements, for example it maycomprise a transposon.

5.2 Description 5.2.1 Genomic Integration

Expression of a gene from a heterologous polynucleotide in a eukaryotichost cell can be improved if the heterologous polynucleotide isintegrated into the genome of the host cell. Integration of apolynucleotide into the genome of a host cell also generally makes itstably heritable, by subjecting it to the same mechanisms that ensurethe replication and division of genomic DNA. Such stable heritability isdesirable for achieving good and consistent expression over long growthperiods. For manufacturing of biomolecules, particularly for therapeuticapplications, the stability of the host and consistency of expressionlevels is also important for regulatory purposes. Cells with genetransfer vectors, including transposon-based gene transfer vectors,integrated into their genomes are thus an important aspect of theinvention.

Heterologous polynucleotides may be more efficiently integrated into atarget genome if they are part of a transposon, for example so that theymay be integrated by a transposase. A particular benefit of a transposonis that the entire polynucleotide between the transposon ITRs isintegrated. This is in contrast to random integration, where apolynucleotide introduced into a eukaryotic cell is often fragmented atrandom in the cell, and only parts of the polynucleotide becomeincorporated into the target genome, usually at a low frequency. ThepiggyBac transposon from the looper moth Trichoplusia ni has been shownto be transposed by its transposase in cells from many organisms (seee.g. Keith et al (2008) BMC Molecular Biology 9:72 “Analysis of thepiggyBac transposase reveals a functional nuclear targeting signal inthe 94 c-terminal residues”). Heterologous polynucleotides incorporatedinto piggyBac-like transposons may be integrated into eukaryotic cellsincluding animal cells, fungal cells or plant cells. Preferred animalcells can be vertebrate or invertebrate. Preferred vertebrate cellsinclude cells from mammals including rodents such as rats, mice, andhamsters; ungulates, such as cows, goats or sheep; and swine. Preferredvertebrate cells also include cells from human tissues and human stemcells. Target cells types include lymphocytes, hepatocytes, neuralcells, muscle cells, blood cells, embryonic stem cells, somatic stemcells, hematopoietic cells, embryos, zygotes and sperm cells (some ofwhich are open to be manipulated in an in vitro setting). Preferredcells can be pluripotent cells (cells whose descendants candifferentiate into several restricted cell types, such as hematopoieticstem cells or other stem cells) or totipotent cells (i.e., a cell whosedescendants can become any cell type in an organism, e.g., embryonicstem cells). Preferred culture cells are Chinese hamster ovary (CHO)cells or Human embryonic kidney (HEK293) cells. Preferred fungal cellsare yeast cells including Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Pichia pastoris.Preferred plant cells are algae, for example Chlorella, tobacco, maizeand rice (Nishizawa-Yokoi et al (2014) Plant J. 77:454-63 “Precisemarker excision system using an animal derived piggyBac transposon inplants”).

Preferred gene transfer systems comprise a transposon in combinationwith a corresponding transposase protein that transposases thetransposon, or a nucleic acid that encodes the corresponding transposaseprotein and is expressible in the target cell.

A transposase protein can be introduced into a cell as a protein or as anucleic acid encoding the transposase, for example as a ribonucleicacid, including mRNA or any polynucleotide recognized by thetranslational machinery of a cell; as DNA, e.g. as extrachromosomal DNAincluding episomal DNA; as plasmid DNA, or as viral nucleic acid.Furthermore, the nucleic acid encoding the transposase protein can betransfected into a cell as a nucleic acid vector such as a plasmid, oras a gene expression vector, including a viral vector. The nucleic acidcan be circular or linear. DNA encoding the transposase protein can bestably inserted into the genome of the cell or into a vector forconstitutive or inducible expression. Where the transposase protein istransfected into the cell or inserted into the vector as DNA, thetransposase encoding sequence is preferably operably linked to aheterologous promoter. There are a variety of promoters that could beused including constitutive promoters, tissue-specific promoters,inducible promoters, and the like. All DNA or RNA sequences encodingBombyx or Xenopus transposase proteins are expressly contemplated.Alternatively, the transposase may be introduced into the cell directlyas protein, for example using cell-penetrating peptides (e.g. asdescribed in Ramsey and Flynn (2015) Pharmacol. Ther. 154: 78-86“Cell-penetrating peptides transport therapeutics into cells”); usingsmall molecules including salt plus propanebetaine (e.g. as described inAstolfo et al (2015) Cell 161: 674-690); or electroporation (e.g. asdescribed in Morgan and Day (1995) Methods in Molecular Biology 48:63-71 “The introduction of proteins into mammalian cells byelectroporation”).

It is possible to insert the transposon into DNA of a cell throughnon-homologous recombination through a variety of reproduciblemechanisms, and even without the activity of a transposase. Thetransposons described herein can be used for gene transfer regardless ofthe mechanisms by which the genes are transferred.

5.2.2 Xenopus-Derived piggyBac-Like Transposons

Natural DNA transposons undergo a ‘cut and paste’ system of replicationin which the transposon is excised from a first DNA molecule andinserted into a second DNA molecule. DNA transposons are characterizedby inverted terminal repeats (ITRs) and are mobilized by anelement-encoded transposase. The piggyBac transposon/transposase systemis particularly useful because of the precision with which thetransposon is integrated and excised (see for example “Fraser, M. J.(2001) The TTAA-Specific Family of Transposable Elements:Identification, Functional Characterization, and Utility forTransformation of Insects. Insect Transgenesis: Methods andApplications. A. M. Handler and A. A. James. Boca Raton, Fla., CRCPress: 249-268”; and “US 20070204356 A1: PiggyBac constructs invertebrates” and references therein).

Many sequences with sequence similarity to the piggyBac transposase fromTrichoplusia ni have been found in the genomes of phylogeneticallydistinct species from fungi to mammals, but very few have been shown topossess transposase activity (see for example Wu M, et al (2011)Genetica 139:149-54. “Cloning and characterization of piggyBac-likeelements in lepidopteran insects”, and references therein).

Excision activity has been identified in Txb transposases from Xenopus(Hikosaka et. al., Mol. Biol. Evol., 24(12):2648-2656, 2007), but theauthors reported no evidence for the integration of the excised targetinto the genome. This report suggested such transposases lackintegration activity. However, surprisingly we have found thattransposases originally identified in the genome of Xenopus tropicalis(SEQ ID NOS 48 and 49) are transpositionally active in mammalian cellswhen fused to a heterologous nuclear localization signal. In the absenceof a fused nuclear localization signal, the naturally occurring Xenopustransposases are essentially inactive for genomic integration (seeExample 6.1.1 and Table 1). Our discovery reveals why Hirosaka failed tosee integration: the experiments performed by Hikosaka et. al. involvedtransfecting a DNA target and DNA encoding a transposase into mammaliancells. The transposase, produced in the cytoplasm, would be able to acton transfected DNA in the cytoplasm to excise the transposon. However,no genomic integration activity would be detected if the transposase,which lacked an NLS, remained cytoplasmic.

Here we have identified transposon ends including ITRs that, when addedto the ends of a heterologous polynucleotide sequence, create asynthetic Xenopus transposon which is efficiently integrated intogenomic DNA by a Xenopus transposase. A left target sequence followed bya left transposon end sequence comprising a sequence selected from SEQID NO: 1-8 is added to on one side of a heterologous polynucleotide. Aright transposon end sequence comprising a sequence selected from SEQ IDNO: 12-16, and followed by a right target sequence is added to the otherside of the heterologous polynucleotide. The resulting polynucleotide isa synthetic Xenopus transposon, and is efficiently transposed bytransposases selected from SEQ ID NO: 48 or 49, fused to a heterologousnuclear localization signal. See Tables 1-3 and Examples 6.1.1, 6.1.2.1and 6.1.2.2.

Xenopus transposases recognize synthetic Xenopus transposons. Theyexcise the transposon from a first DNA molecule, by cutting the DNA atthe target sequence at the left end of one transposon end and the targetsequence at the right end of the second transposon end, re-join the cutends of the first DNA molecule to leave a single copy of the targetsequence. The excised transposon sequence, including any heterologousDNA that is between the transposon ends, is integrated by thetransposase into a target sequence of a second DNA molecule, such as thegenome of a target cell.

These Xenopus left and right transposon ends share a 14 bp almostperfectly repeated sequence inverted in orientation in the two ends:(5′-CCYTTTBMCTGCCA: SEQ ID NO: 19) adjacent to the target sequence. Hereand elsewhere when inverted repeats are defined by a sequence includinga nucleotide defined by an ambiguity code, the identity of thatnucleotide can be selected independently in the two repeats. Thenear-perfect conservation of this 14 bp ITR sequence at both ends of theXenopus transposon allow us to identify it as the transposon ITR.Transposons comprising a heterologous polynucleotide inserted betweentwo transposon ends, each comprising SEQ ID NO: 19 in invertedorientations in the two transposon ends, and flanked by a targetsequence, can be transposed from one DNA molecule to another, by theircorresponding Xenopus transposases. Naturally occurring Xenopustransposases (SEQ ID NO: 48 and 49) must be fused to a heterologousnuclear localization signal to effect this transposition.

Truncated and modified versions of naturally occurring left and righttransposon ends will function as part of a synthetic Xenopustransposons. For example, as shown in Example 6.1.2.2 and Tables 2 and3, a left transposon end consisting of a target sequence followed by asequence selected from SEQ ID NO: 4-7, and a right transposon endconsisting of a sequence selected from SEQ ID NO: 13-16 followed by atarget sequence contains all sequences necessary for transposition ofDNA by a Xenopus transposase fused to a heterologous nuclearlocalization signal. We observed that sequence differences are toleratedwithin the truncated transposon ends in addition to the degeneraciesnoted in the ITR sequences. For example, left transposon end SEQ ID NO:7 consists of SEQ ID NO: 9 in addition to the ITR, while left transposonend SEQ ID NO: 5 consists of SEQ ID NO: 10 in addition to the ITR.Similarly, right transposon end SEQ ID NO: 16 consists of SEQ ID NO: 17in addition to the ITR, while right transposon end SEQ ID NO: 13consists of SEQ ID NO: 18 in addition to the ITR.

A Xenopus transposon can comprise a heterologous polynucleotide flankedby two transposon ends, wherein one transposon end comprises a sequencethat is at least 90% identical or at least 95% identical or at least 99%identical to SEQ ID NO: 7 and one transposon end comprises a sequencethat is at least 90% identical or at least 95% identical or at least 99%identical to SEQ ID NO: 16.

A Xenopus transposon can comprise a heterologous polynucleotide flankedby two transposon ends, wherein one transposon end comprises at least 14or at least 16 or at least 18 or at least 20 or at least 25 contiguousbases from SEQ ID NO: 7 and one transposon end comprises at least 14, orat least 16, or at least 18, or at least 20 contiguous bases from SEQ IDNO: 16.

A Xenopus transposon can comprise a heterologous polynucleotide flankedby two transposon ends wherein each transposon end comprises thesequence 5′-CCYTTTBMCTGCCA-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 19) inverted in orientation inthe two transposon ends. One end of this Xenopus transposon may furthercomprise at least 14, or at least 16, or at least 18, or at least 20contiguous bases from SEQ ID NO: 9 and the other end may furthercomprise at least 14 or at least 16 or at least 18 or at least 20 or atleast 25 contiguous bases from SEQ ID NO: 17.

Xenopus transposons are transposable by Xenopus transposases, forexample by at least one polypeptide selected from SEQ ID NO: 48, 49 or52-402 and fused to a heterologous nuclear localization signal.Operability of a Xenopus transposon can be shown by the ability of atransposase having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:61 fused to aheterologous NLS to transpose the transposon.

Cells whose genomes contain a Xenopus transposon are an aspect of theinvention. The cell may be any eukaryotic cell.

5.2.3 Bombyx-Derived piggyBac-Like Transposons

A transposon was identified from the genome of Bombyx mori with thefunctional transposon ends being contained within SEQ ID NO: 23 and SEQID NO: 29. A transposase that can recognize and transpose a transposoncomprising these transposon ends is SEQ ID NO: 407. The invertedterminal repeats (ITRs) at the ends of the natural transposon comprisingSEQ ID NOS: 23 and 29 were not flanked by the canonical 5′-TTAA-3′target sequence usually observed for transposons with significantsequence identity to Trichoplusia ni piggyBac; they were flanked by5′-TTAT-3′ sequences adjacent to the ITRs.

Here we have identified transposon ends including ITRs that can be addedto the ends of a heterologous polynucleotide sequence to effect theefficient integration of the polynucleotide into genomic DNA by theaction of a Bombyx transposase. A left target sequence followed by aleft transposon end sequence comprising a sequence selected from SEQ IDNO: 23-27 is added to on one side of a heterologous polynucleotide. Aright transposon end sequence comprising a sequence selected from SEQ IDNO: 29-32, followed by a right target sequence is added to the otherside of the heterologous polynucleotide. The resulting polynucleotide isa synthetic Bombyx transposon, and is efficiently transposed bytransposase SEQ ID NO: 407, whether or not fused to a heterologousnuclear localization signal. See Tables 1 and 2 and Examples 6.1.1 and6.1.2.1.

Bombyx transposases recognize synthetic Bombyx transposons. They excisethe transposon from a first DNA molecule, by cutting the DNA at thetarget sequence at the left end of one transposon end and the targetsequence at the right end of the second transposon end, re-join the cutends of the first DNA molecule to leave a single copy of the targetsequence. The excised transposon sequence, including any heterologousDNA that is between the transposon ends, is integrated into a targetsequence of a second DNA molecule, such as the genome of a target cell.

The left and right Bombyx transposon ends share a 16 bp repeat sequenceat their ends (5′-CCCGGCGAGCATGAGG-3′: SEQ ID NO: 33) inverted inorientation in the two ends immediately adjacent to the target sequence.That is the left transposon end begins with the sequence5′-CCCGGCGAGCATGAGG-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 33), and the right transposon endswith the reverse complement of this sequence: 5′-CCTCATGCTCGCCGGG-3′(SEQ ID NO: 34). The perfect conservation of this 16 bp sequence at bothends of the transposon allowed us to identify it as the transposon ITR.

The degeneracy observed for the Xenopus piggyBac-like transposondescribed in Section 5.2.2 suggests that this sequence is not completelyimmutable, but may accept one or two or three nucleotide changes fromthe consensus (as described for SEQ ID NO: 19), providing functionalBombyx ITRs with 93%, 87% or 81% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO: 33(or (SEQ ID NO: 34) respectively. A Bombyx transposon can comprise aheterologous polynucleotide inserted between a left and right transposonend, wherein each transposon end comprises a sequence at least 81%identical or at least 87% identical or at least 93% identical to thesequence 5′-CCCGGCGAGCATGAGG-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 33) at one end, a sequenceat least 81% identical or at least 87% identical or at least 93%identical to the sequence 5′-CCTCATGCTCGCCGGG-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 34) at theother end.

Truncated and modified versions of the left and right transposon endsalso function as part of a synthetic Bombyx transposon. For example, asshown in Example 6.1.2.1 and Table 2, a target sequence followed by aleft transposon end comprising a sequence selected from SEQ ID NO:23-25, and a right transposon end comprising SEQ ID NO: 29 or 31,followed by a target sequence, contains all sequences necessary fortransposition of by a Bombyx transposase.

A Bombyx transposon can comprise a heterologous polynucleotide flankedby two transposon ends wherein one transposon end comprises a sequencethat is at least 90% or at least 95% identical or at least 99% identicalto SEQ ID NO: 25 and one transposon end comprises a sequence that is atleast 90% identical or at least 95% or at least 99% identical to SEQ IDNO: 31.

A Bombyx transposon can comprise a heterologous polynucleotide flankedby two transposon ends, wherein one transposon end comprises at least 14or at least 16 or at least 18 or at least 20 contiguous bases from SEQID NO: 25 and one transposon end comprises at least 14 or at least 16 orat least 18 or at least 20 contiguous bases from SEQ ID NO: 31.

A Bombyx transposon can comprise a heterologous polynucleotide flankedby two transposon ends wherein each transposon end comprises a sequencethat is at least 81% identical or at least 87% identical or at least 93%identical to the sequence 5′-CCCGGCGAGCATGAGG-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 33)inverted in orientation in the two transposon ends. One end of thisBombyx transposon may further comprise at least 14, or at least 16, orat least 18, or at least 20 contiguous bases from SEQ ID NO: 27 and theother end may further comprise at least 14 or at least 16 or at least 18or at least 20 contiguous bases from SEQ ID NO: 32.

Bombyx transposons are transposable by Bombyx transposases, for exampleby at least one polypeptide selected from SEQ ID NO: 407, or 412-697,optionally fused to a heterologous nuclear localization signal.Operability of a Bombyx transposon can be shown by the ability of atransposase having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:415 fused to aheterologous NLS to transpose the transposon.

Cells whose genomes contain a Bombyx transposon are an aspect of theinvention. The cell may be any eukaryotic cell.

5.2.4 Modified Transposon Target Sequences

Having observed that the natural Bombyx and Xenopus transposons wereflanked by different target sequences (5′-TTAT-3′ and 5′TTAA-3′respectively), we attempted to modify the target sequences ofpiggyBac-like transposons by changing the sequence adjacent to the ITR.This is expected to change the 5′ overhangs of the excised transposon(Mitra et al., 2008. EMBO J. 27: 1097-1109 “piggyBac can bypass DNAsynthesis during cut and paste transposition”). We created apiggyBac-TTAT transposon by joining a 5′-TTAT-3′ target sequence topiggyBac left transposon end SEQ ID NO 37 and placing this on one sideof reporter construct SEQ ID NO 39, and joining piggyBac righttransposon end SEQ ID NO 38 followed by target sequence 5′-TTAT-3′ tothe other side. We observed that in vivo in mammalian cells, the TTATpiggyBac transposon was integrated by the piggyBac transposase (SEQ IDNO. 698) to give expression of the protein encoded on the transposon atcomparable levels to the TTAA piggyBac transposon (see Section 6.1.2 andcompare Table 2 rows 24 and 26).

We made a similar switch from 5′-TTAA-3′ to 5′-TTAT-3′ target sequencefor the Xenopus transposon. Again we observed that in vivo in mammaliancells, the TTAT Xenopus transposon was integrated by a Xenopustransposase fused to a heterologous nuclear localization signal, to giveexpression of the protein encoded on the transposon at comparable levelsto those from the TTAA Xenopus transposon integrated by the sametransposase (see Section 6.1.2 and compare Table 2 rows 14 and 22). Thusa Xenopus transposase is effective at transposing transposons withdifferent target sequences including 5′-TTAT-3′ and 5′-TTAA-3′ targetsequences.

Finally, we also made the reverse switch for the Bombyx transposon,changing its target sequence to TTAA. We observed that in vivo inmammalian cells, the TTAA Bombyx transposon was integrated by a Bombyxtransposase, to give expression of the protein encoded on the transposonat comparable levels to those from the TTAT Bombyx transposon integratedby the same transposase (see Section 6.1.2 and compare Table 2 rows 3and 11). Thus a Bombyx transposase is effective at transposingtransposons with different target sequences including 5′-TTAT-3′ and5′-TTAA-3′ target sequences.

In all cases of piggyBac-like transposons we tested (Trichoplusi ni,Bombyx and Xenopus), the transposases excised their transposonsprecisely from the DNA in which they were originally present, leaving asingle copy of the 5′-TTAA-3′ or 5′-TTAT-3′ target sequence that wasinitially present adjacent to each of the transposon ITRs. The preciseexcision of all of these transposons by their transposases is consistentwith the cut and paste mechanism described for Trichoplusi ni piggyBac.

Bombyx transposase SEQ ID NO 407 shares 36% sequence identity with thepiggyBac transposase from Trichoplusia ni; Xenopus transposases SEQ IDNO 48 and 49 share only 23% sequence identity with the piggyBactransposase from Trichoplusia ni; Xenopus transposases SEQ ID NO: 48 and49 share only 22% sequence identity with Bombyx transposase SEQ ID NO:407. All 3 of these transposases are able to efficiently transpose theirtransposons when the target sequence on the transposon is switchedbetween 5′-TTAA-3′ and 5′-TTAT-3′ or vice versa. These data provideevidence the target sequence for any piggyBac-like transposon can beswitched from 5′-TTAA-3′ to 5′-TTAT-3′ just by changing the targetsequence flanking the transposon ITRs. A transposon with modified targetsequences can be created for active transposases with at least 23%sequence identity to the piggyBac transposase from Trichoplusia ni (SEQID NO: 698), or 22% sequence identity with Bombyx transposase SEQ ID NO:407, or 22% sequence identity with Xenopus transposases SEQ ID NOS: 48or 49, as identified using the TBLASTN algorithm, by taking functionalleft and right transposon ends and changing the target sequencesadjacent to the ITRs from 5′-TTAA-3′ to 5′-TTAT-3′.

Efficient integration into 5′-TTAT-3′/5′-ATAA-3′ target sequences can beadvantageous, because 5′-TTAT-3′ is a reverse complement of 5′-ATAA-3′which is part of the canonical mammalian polyA signal 5′-aATAAa-3′. Thusthe 5′-TTAT-3′ insertion site targeted by the TTAT-directed transposonoccurs at almost every polyA signal. PolyA signals are associated withtranscriptionally active regions of the chromosome. Thus transposonsthat insert at 5′-TTAT-3′ sites, including Bombyx transposons andmodified Xenopus and piggyBac transposons, are likely to yield higherexpression levels of the genes they carry than transposons that insertat 5′-TTAA-3′ sites. This effect may become more pronounced with time,since naturally transcriptionally active regions may be more resistantto silencing effects.

Other useable target sequences for piggyBac transposons are 5′-CTAA-3′,5′-TTAG-3′, 5′-ATAA-3′, 5′-TCAA-3′, 5′-AGTT-3′, 5′-ATTA-3′, 5′-GTTA-3′,5′-TTGA-3′, 5′-TTTA-3′, 5′-TTAC-3′, 5′-ACTA-3′, 5′-AGGG-3′, 5′-CTAG-3′,5′-GTAA-3′, 5′-AGGT-3′, 5′-ATCA-3′, CTCC-3′, 5′-TAAA-3′, 5′-TCTC-3′,5′-TGAA-3′, 5′-AAAT-3′, 5′-AATC-3′, 5′-ACAA-3′, 5′-ACAT-3′, 5′-ACTC-3′,5′-AGTG-3′, 5′-ATAG-3′, 5′-CAAA-3′, 5′-CACA-3′, 5′-CATA-3′, 5′-CCAG-3′,5′-CCCA-3′, 5′-CGTA-3′, 5′-CTGA-3′, 5′-GTCC-3′, 5′-TAAG-3′, 5′-TCTA-3′,5′-TGAG-3′, 5′-TGTT-3′, 5′-TTCA-3′, 5′-TTCT-3′ and 5′-TTTT-3′ (Li etal., 2013. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci vol. 110, no. 6, E478-487). Thissuggests that a synthetic piggyBac-like transposon can be created byusing a repeat of one of these sequences in place of the natural5′-TTAA-3′ or 5′-TTAT-3′ target sequence flanking the transposon ITRs.For example, a Bombyx transposon comprises a first useable targetsequence, ITR sequence SEQ ID NO: 33, a heterologous polynucleotide, asecond ITR sequence SEQ ID NO: 33 inverted in orientation relative tothe first, and a second useable target sequence, where the first andsecond useable target sequences are preferably the same. A Xenopustransposon comprises a first useable target sequence, ITR sequence SEQID NO: 19, a heterologous polynucleotide, a second ITR sequence SEQ IDNO: 19 inverted in orientation relative to the first, and a seconduseable target sequence, where the first and second useable targetsequences are preferably the same. Cells whose genomes contain Xenopusor Bombyx transposons are an aspect of the invention.

5.2.5 Selection Systems for Modifying piggyBac-Like Transposases

Two properties of transposases that are of particular interest forgenomic modifications are their ability to integrate a polynucleotideinto a target genome, and their ability to precisely excise apolynucleotide from a target genome. Both of these can be selected forwith a suitable system.

A system for selecting for the first step of transposition, which isexcision of a transposon from a first polynucleotide, comprises thefollowing components: (i) A first polynucleotide encoding a firstselectable marker operably linked to sequences that cause it to beexpressed in a selection host and (ii) A first transposon comprisingtransposon ends recognized by the first transposase. The firsttransposon is present in, and interrupts the coding sequence of, thefirst selectable marker, such that the first selectable marker is notactive. The first transposon is placed in the first selectable markersuch that precise excision of the first transposon causes the firstselectable marker to be reconstituted. Host cells that contain the firstpolynucleotide, either chromosomally or extrachromosomally, can be usedto screen for transposases that can excise the first transposon.

If the first transposon comprises a second selectable marker, operablylinked to sequences that make the second selectable marker expressiblein the selection host, transposition of the second selectable markerinto the genome of the host cell will yield a genome comprising activefirst and second selectable markers. The cell will therefore grow underselective conditions for both markers. The second selectable marker,like the first selectable marker, may be a gene encoding an antibioticresistance gene, or an auxotrophic marker, or any other selectablemarker.

If the first transposon comprises a first counter-selectable marker,operably linked to sequences that make the first counter-selectablemarker expressible in the selection host, transposition of the firstcounter-selectable marker into the genome of the host cell will yield acell with an active first selectable marker and active firstcounter-selectable marker. The cell will therefore die under restrictiveconditions for the first counter-selectable marker.

These two selection schemes may be combined by using a second selectablemarker that is also a first counter-selectable marker. Examples of suchmarkers include auxotrophic marker genes in the uracil or tryptophansynthetic pathways. These genes may be selected for by culturing cellsin the absence of the nutrient, in this case uracil or tryptophanrespectively. Biosynthetic genes may also act as counter-selectablemarkers if they enable a cell to incorporate a toxic analog in place ofa genuine metabolic precursor into their molecules. Genes in the uracilbiosynthetic pathway can convert the non-toxic compound 5-fluorooroticacid into toxic 5-fluorouracil, thus growing cells with 5-fluorooroticacid is restrictive for a functional uracil pathway. Similarly,5-fluoroanthranilic acid is converted by the tryptophan synthesispathway to the toxic 5-fluorotryptophan, thus growing cells with5-fluoroanthranilic acid is restrictive for a functional tryptophanpathway. Host cells that contain a first polynucleotide comprising afirst selectable marker interrupted by a transposon comprising a uracilor tryptophan gene, can be used to screen simultaneously for hyperactiveand integration-deficient transposases. For example, a polynucleotideexpressible in the host cell encoding a first transposase or a firsttransposase library such as a site saturation mutagenesis library forone or more amino acid positions is introduced into host cellscontaining the first polynucleotide. These cells are the divided intotwo pools. The first pool is cultured under conditions that areselective for the first selectable marker and restrictive for the firstcounter-selectable marker. The genes encoding the transposases are thenisolated from the host cells that gained the ability to grow, andtransposase genes from this first pool of cells may be analyzed toidentify amino acid changes that enhance excision activity but notintegration activity. The second pool is cultured under conditions thatare selective for the first selectable marker and for the secondselectable marker. The genes encoding the transposases are then isolatedfrom the host cells that gained the ability to grow, and transposasegenes from this second pool of cells may be analyzed to identify aminoacid changes that enhance the complete transposase activity.

These selection systems may be used to identify transposases withmodified activities by screening libraries of variant transposases. Onetype of library is a pool of polynucleotides encoding all possible aminoacid substitutions at a first amino acid position in the transposase. Asite-saturation mutagenesis library at a single position encodes twentydifferent polypeptides, including one that is the natural transposasesequence. For a transposase that is 600 amino acids long, all possiblesingle amino acid substitutions are present in 600 such site-saturationmutagenesis libraries, one for each position. These libraries can betested using a transposase selection system to identify activesubstitutions at each position.

Individual favorable mutations may be combined in a variety of differentways, for example by “DNA shuffling” or by methods described in U.S.Pat. No. 8,635,029 B2. A transposase with modified activity, either foractivity on a new target sequence including a 5′-TTAT-3′ targetsequence, or increased activity on an existing target sequence may beobtained by using variations of the selection scheme outlined above withan appropriate corresponding transposon.

Activity of transposases may also be increased by fusion of nuclearlocalization signal (NLS) at the N-terminus, C-terminus, both at the N-and C-termini or internal regions of the transposase protein, as long astransposase activity is retained. A nuclear localization signal orsequence (NLS) is an amino acid sequence that ‘tags’ or facilitatesinteraction of a protein, either directly or indirectly with nucleartransport proteins for import into the cell nucleus. Nuclearlocalization signals (NLS) used can include consensus NLS sequences,viral NLS sequences, cellular NLS sequences, and combinations thereof.

Transposases may also be fused to other protein functional domains. Suchprotein functional domains can include DNA binding domains, flexiblehinge regions that can facilitate one or more domain fusions, andcombinations thereof. Fusions can be made either to the N-terminus,C-terminus, or internal regions of the transposase protein so long astransposase activity is retained. DNA binding domains used can include ahelix-turn-helix domain, Zn-finger domain, a leucine zipper domain, or ahelix-loop-helix domain. Specific DNA binding domains used can include aGa14 DNA binding domain, a LexA DNA binding domain, or a Zif268 DNAbinding domain. Flexible hinge regions used can include glycine/serinelinkers and variants thereof.

A comparable process may be used to increase the transposability of thetransposon ends by a transposase. In this case, the transposon maycomprise a first active selectable marker. Transposon ends may beselected from any piggyBac-like transposon. The sequence of one or bothtransposon ends may be subjected to random or pre-determined sequencechanges, including changes to the target sequence, the ITR or to otherparts of the transposon ends. The transposon may then be introduced intoa first cell that contains a target polynucleotide comprising a secondactive selectable marker and an active transposase. If the transposaseis able to transpose the transposon, some fraction of the transposonswill be transposed into the target polynucleotide. The targetpolynucleotide is purified from the first cell, and introduced into asecond cell which is subjected to restrictive conditions for which itrequires the first selectable marker and the second selectable marker tosurvive. The transposon may be recovered, for example by sequencing outfrom the transposon to identify the flanking sequence, and thenamplifying the transposon using PCR. The process may be performed inpools of variants: a more active transposon will create targetpolynucleotides containing both selectable markers more frequently, andwill thus be more highly represented in the population. In this process,the transposon may optionally be present as a reversible interruption ina selectable marker as described for the transposase activity screen.However, this is not necessary for the transposon activity screen, sincethe transposed transposons are detected directly.

5.2.6. Modified Xenopus Transposases

We subjected Xenopus transposase SEQ ID NO: 48 to saturation mutagenesisas described in Example 6.3.1.1, and identified 1,793 (16.0%) amino acidsubstitutions that were associated with increased transposition activity(a composite measure of integration and excision), and 1,074 (9.6%)amino acid substitutions that were associated with increased excisionactivity, out of a total of 11,172 possible substitutions (19 possiblesubstitutions at each of the 588 amino acids excluding the invariantN-terminal methionine). The two classes of substitutions had someoverlap but were neither identical nor did one class completely containthe other. These beneficial substitutions are shown in Table 4 columns Cand D.

A similar number of substitutions were found to be essentially neutralas to effect on transposition or excision activity: that is, they werepresent at approximately the same frequency in unselected andpost-selection libraries. Thus Xenopus transposases readily accept manyamino acid substitutions without significant functional detriment.

Xenopus transposases can thus be created that are not naturallyoccurring sequences, (e.g. not SEQ ID NO: 48 or 49), but that are atleast 99% identical, or at least 98% identical, or at least 97%identical, or at least 96% identical, or at least 95% identical, or atleast 90% identical, or at least 84% identical to SEQ ID NO 48. Suchvariants can retain partial activity of the transposase of SEQ ID NO:48(as determined by either or both of transposition and/or excisionactivity), can be functionally equivalent of the transposase of SEQ IDNO:48 in either or both of transposition and excision, or can haveenhanced activity relative to the transposase of SEQ ID NO:48 intransposition, excision activity or both. Such variants can includemutations shown herein to increase transposition and/or excision,mutations shown herein to be neutral as to transposition and/orexcision, and mutations detrimental to transposition and/or integrationor any combination of such mutations. Preferred variants includemutations shown to be neutral or to enhance transposition/and orexcision. Some such variants lack mutations shown to be detrimental totransposition and/or excision. Some such variants include only mutationsshown to enhance transposition, only mutations shown to enhanceexcision, or mutations shown to enhance both transposition and excision.

Enhanced activity means activity (e.g., transposition or excisionactivity) that is greater beyond experimental error than that of areference transposase from which a variant was derived. The activity canbe greater by a factor of e.g., 1.5, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 or 100 fold of thereference transposase. The enhanced activity can lie within a range offor example 2-100 fold, 2-50 fold, 5-50 fold or 2-10 fold of thereference transposase. Here and elsewhere activities can be measured asdemonstrated in the examples.

Functional equivalence means a variant transposase can mediatetransposition and/or excision of the same transposon with a comparableefficiency (within experimental error) to a reference transposase. Morethan 80 representative sequences of variant Xenopus transposases withtransposition frequencies comparable to naturally occurring Xenopustransposase SEQ ID NO 48 are SEQ ID NOs: 325-402.

Furthermore, variant sequences of SEQ ID NO 48 can be created bycombining two, or three or four, or five or more substitutions selectedfrom Table 4 column C or D. Combining beneficial substitutions, forexample those shown in column C or D of Table 4 can result inhyperactive variants of SEQ ID NO 48. Such variants may be created in alibrary, for example by DNA shuffling, and then identified by selectionusing a scheme as outlined in Section 5.2.5 or Example 6.3.1.Alternatively, methods described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,635,029 can be usedto design, synthesize and test small numbers of variants incorporatingamino acid substitutions to obtain transposases with improvedintegration or excision activities.

Xenopus transposase variants that are hyperactive for integration inyeast and mammalian cells were prepared as described in Example 6.3.1.1.We identified at least 25 Xenopus transposases (SEQ ID NOs: 52-76) withtransposition frequencies about at least 50-fold greater than that ofnaturally occurring Xenopus transposase SEQ ID NO: 48. We identifiedmore than 130 Xenopus transposases (SEQ ID NOs: 77-210) withtransposition frequencies between about 10-fold greater and 50-foldgreater than that of naturally occurring Xenopus transposase SEQ ID NO:48. We identified more than 100 Xenopus transposases (SEQ ID NOs:211-324) with transposition frequencies between about 2-fold greater and10-fold greater than that of naturally occurring Xenopus transposase SEQID NO: 48. These transposases comprised one or more of the substitutions(relative to SEQ ID NO: 48) listed in Table 4 columns C and D. Preferredhyperactive Xenopus transposases comprised one or more of thesubstitutions (relative to SEQ ID NO: 48) listed in Table 11 column C.Preferred hyperactive Xenopus transposases include polypeptidescomprising one of SEQ ID NOS: 52-402; some hyperactive transposases mayfurther comprise a heterologous nuclear localization sequence.

Preferred hyperactive Xenopus transposases comprise an amino acidsequence, other than a naturally occurring protein (e.g., not atransposase whose amino acid sequence comprises SEQ ID NO:48 or 49),that is at least 85% identical or at least 90% identical or at least 95%identical, or at least 99% identical to the amino acid sequence of anyof SEQ ID NOs: 51-406, including SEQ ID NO: 61. Some preferredhyperactive transposases comprise an amino acid sequence, other than anaturally occurring protein, that is at least 85% identical or at least90% identical or at least 95% identical, or at least 99% identical tothe amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 61 and that comprises at least oneamino acid substitution (relative to SEQ ID NO: 48) shown in Table 4column C, Table 4 column D or Table 11 column C. Preferred hyperactiveXenopus transposases include polypeptides comprising an amino acidsubstitution at a position selected from amino acid 6, 7, 16, 19, 20,21, 22, 23, 24, 26, 28, 31, 34, 67, 73, 76, 77, 88, 91, 141, 145, 146,148, 150, 157, 162, 179, 182, 189, 192, 193, 196, 198, 200, 210, 212,218, 248, 263, 270, 294, 297, 308, 310, 333, 336, 354, 357, 358, 359,377, 423, 426, 428, 438, 447, 447, 450, 462, 469, 472, 498, 502, 517,520, 523, 533, 534, 576, 577, 582, 583 or 587 (relative to SEQ ID NO:48). Preferred hyperactive Xenopus transposases include polypeptidescomprising an amino acid substitution, relative to SEQ ID NO: 48,selected from Y6C, S7G, M16S, S19G, S20Q, S20G, S20D, E21D, E22Q, F23T,F23P, S24Y, S26V, S28Q, V31K, A34E, L67A, G73H, A76V, D77N, P88A, N91D,Y141Q, Y141A, N145E, N145V, P146T, P146V, P146K, P148T, P148H, Y150G,Y150S, Y150C, H157Y, A162C, A179K, L182I, L182V, T189G, L192H, S193N,S193K, V196I, S198G, T200W, L210H, F212N, N218E, A248N, L263M, Q270L,S294T, T297M, S308R, L310R, L333M, Q336M, A354H, C357V, L358F, D359N,L377I, V423H, P426K, K428R, S438A, T447G, T447A, L450V, A462H, A462Q,I469V, I472L, Q498M, L502V, E517I, P520D, P520G, N523S, I533E, D534A,F576R, F576E, K577I, I582R, Y583F, L587Y or L587W, or any combinationthereof including at least 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or all of thesemutations.

Xenopus transposase variants that are active for excision but deficientin integration in yeast and mammalian cells were prepared as describedin Example 6.3.1.1. Preferred integration-deficient Xenopus transposasesequences include SEQ ID NOS: 51 and 403-406; these integrationdeficient Xenopus transposases may further comprise a heterologousnuclear localization sequence. Preferred integration-deficient Xenopustransposases comprise an amino acid sequence, other than a naturallyoccurring protein, that is 90% identical to the amino acid sequence ofSEQ ID NO 405. Some preferred integration-deficient transposasescomprise an amino acid sequence, other than a naturally occurringprotein, that comprises an amino acid substitution (relative to SEQ IDNO 48) wherein the Asn at amino acid position 218 is replaced with a Gluor an Asp residue (N218D or N218E).

Methods of creating transgenic cells using hyperactive Xenopustransposases are an aspect of the invention. A method of creating atransgenic cell comprises (i) introducing into a eukaryotic cell ahyperactive Xenopus transposase (as a protein or as a polynucleotideencoding the transposase) and a corresponding Xenopus transposon; (ii)identifying a cell in which a Xenopus transposon is incorporated intothe genome of the eukaryotic cell. Identifying the cell in which aXenopus transposon is incorporated into the genome of the eukaryoticcell may comprise selecting the eukaryotic cell for a selectable markerencoded on the Xenopus transposon. The selectable marker may be anyselectable polypeptide, including any described herein.

5.2.7. Modified Bombyx Transposases

We subjected Bombyx transposase SEQ ID NO 407 to saturation mutagenesisas described in Example 6.3.1, and identified 1,176 amino acidsubstitutions (10.1%) that were associated with increased transpositionactivity, and 1,044 (9.0%) amino acid substitutions that were associatedwith increased excision activity, out of a total of 11,571 possiblesubstitutions (19 possible substitutions at each of the 609 amino acidsexcluding the invariant N-terminal methionine). The two classes ofsubstitutions had some overlap but were neither identical nor did oneclass completely contain the other. These beneficial substitutions areshown in Table 4 columns G and H.

A similar number of substitutions were found to be essentially neutralas to transposition or excision activity: that is, they were present atapproximately the same frequency in unselected and post-selectionlibraries. Thus Bombyx transposases readily accept many amino acidsubstitutions without significant functional detriment. Transposases canthus be created that are not naturally occurring sequences, e.g., notBombyx transposase SEQ ID NO 407, but that are at least 99% identical,or at least 98% identical, or at least 97% identical, or at least 96%identical, or at least 95% identical, or at least 90% identical, or atleast 84% identical to SEQ ID NO 407 (but do not comprise SEQ ID NO:407per se).

Such variants can retain partial activity of the transposase of SEQ IDNO:407 (transposition and/or excision activity), can be functionallyequivalent of the transposase of SEQ ID NO:407 in either or both oftransposition and excision activity, or can have enhanced activityrelative to the transposase of SEQ ID NO:407 in transposition, excisionactivity or both. Such variants can include mutations shown herein toincrease transposition and/or excision, mutations shown herein to beneutral as to transposition and/or excision, and mutations detrimentalto transposition and/or integration or any combination of suchmutations. Preferred variants include mutations shown to be neutral orenhancing of transposition/and or excision. Some such variants lackmutations shown to be detrimental to transposition and/or excision. Somesuch variants include only mutations shown to enhance transposition,only mutations shown to enhance excision, or mutations shown to enhanceboth transposition and excision

Enhanced activity means activity that is greater beyond experimentalerror of that of a reference transposase from which a variant wasderived. The activity can be greater by a factor of e.g., 1.5, 2, 5, 10,20, 50 or 100 fold of the reference transposase. The enhanced activitycan lie within a range of for example 2-100 fold, 2-50 fold, 5-50 foldor 2-10 fold of the reference transposase. Here and elsewhere activitiescan be measured as demonstrated in the examples.

More than 60 representative sequences of variant Bombyx transposaseswith transposition frequencies comparable to naturally occurring Bombyxtransposase SEQ ID NO 407 are SEQ ID NOs: 634-697.

Furthermore, variant sequences of SEQ ID NO: 407 can be created bycombining two, or three or four, or five or more substitutions shown inTable 4 columns G and H. Combining beneficial substitutions, for examplethose shown in column G or H of Table 4 can result in hyperactivevariants of SEQ ID NO: 407. Such variants may be created in a library,for example by DNA shuffling, and then identified by selection using ascheme as outlined in Section 5.2.5 or Example 6.3.1.

Bombyx transposase variants that are hyperactive for integration inyeast and mammalian cells were prepared as described in Example 6.3.2.1.Many hyperactive transposases were obtained. We identified at least 20Bombyx transposases (SEQ ID NOs: 412-431) with transposition frequenciesabout at least 50-fold greater than that of naturally occurring Bombyxtransposase SEQ ID NO: 407. We identified more than 90 Bombyxtransposases (SEQ ID NOs: 432-524) with transposition frequenciesbetween about 10-fold greater and 50-fold greater than that of naturallyoccurring Bombyx transposase SEQ ID NO: 407. We identified more than 100Bombyx transposases (SEQ ID NOs: 525-633) with transposition frequenciesbetween about 2-fold greater and 10-fold greater than that of naturallyoccurring Bombyx transposase SEQ ID NO: 407. These transposasescomprised one or more of the substitutions (relative to SEQ ID NO: 407)listed in Table 4 columns G and H. Preferred hyperactive Bombyxtransposases comprise one or more of the substitutions (relative to SEQID NO: 407) listed in Table 4 columns G and H or Table 11 column H.Preferred hyperactive Bombyx transposases include polypeptidescomprising one of SEQ ID NOS: 412-524; these hyperactive transposasesmay further comprise a heterologous nuclear localization sequence.Preferred hyperactive transposases comprise an amino acid sequence,other than a naturally occurring protein, that is at least 85% identicalor at least 90% identical or at least 95% identical, or at least 99%identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 415. Preferredhyperactive Bombyx transposases include polypeptides comprising an aminoacid substitution at a position selected from 92, 93, 96, 97, 165, 178,189, 196, 200, 201, 211, 215, 235, 238, 246, 253, 258, 261, 263, 271,303, 321, 324, 330, 373, 389, 399, 402, 403, 404, 448, 473, 484, 507,523, 527, 528, 543, 549, 550, 557, 601, 605, 607, 609 or 610 (relativeto SEQ ID NO: 407). Preferred hyperactive Bombyx transposases includepolypeptides comprising an amino acid substitution, relative to SEQ IDNO: 407, selected from Q92A, V93L, V93M, P96G, F97H, F97C, H165E, H165W,E178S, E178H, C189P, A196G, L200I, A201Q, L211A, W215Y, G219S, Q235Y,Q235G, Q238L, K246I, K253V, M258V, F261L, S263K, C271S, N303R, F321W,F321D, V324K, V324H, A330V, L373C, L373V, V389L, S399N, R402K, T403L,D404Q, D4045, D404M, N441R, G448W, E449A, V469T, C473Q, R484K, T507C,G523A, I527M, Y528K, Y543I, E549A, K550M, P557S, E601V, E605H, E605W,D607H, S609H or L610I, and any combination thereof. Some combinationsinclude at least 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or all of thesemutations. Some preferred hyperactive transposases comprise an aminoacid sequence, other than a naturally occurring protein, that is atleast 85% identical or at least 90% identical or at least 95% identical,or at least 99% identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 415and that comprises at least one amino acid substitution (relative to SEQID NO: 407) shown in Table 4 column F, Table 4, G or Table 11 column H.

Bombyx transposase variants that are active for excision but deficientin integration in yeast and mammalian cells were prepared as describedin Example 6.3.2.1. Preferred integration-deficient transposasesequences comprise one of SEQ ID NOS: 409-411; these integrationdeficient transposases may further comprise a heterologous nuclearlocalization sequence. Preferred integration-deficient transposasescomprise an amino acid sequence, other than a naturally occurringprotein, that is at least 90% identical to the amino acid sequence ofSEQ ID NO: 411.

Methods of creating transgenic cells using hyperactive Bombyxtransposases are an aspect of the invention. A method of creating atransgenic cell comprises (i) introducing into a eukaryotic cell ahyperactive Bombyx transposase (as a protein or as a polynucleotideencoding the transposase) and a corresponding Bombyx transposon; (ii)identifying a cell in which a Bombyx transposon is incorporated into thegenome of the eukaryotic cell. Identifying the cell in which a Bombyxtransposon is incorporated into the genome of the eukaryotic cell maycomprise selecting the eukaryotic cell for a selectable marker encodedon the Bombyx transposon. The selectable marker may be any selectablepolypeptide, including any described herein.

5.2.8 Gene Transfer Systems

Gene transfer systems comprise a polynucleotide to be transferred to ahost cell. The gene transfer system may comprise any of the transposonsor transposases described herein, or it may comprise one or morepolynucleotides that have other features that facilitate efficient genetransfer without the need for a transposase or transposon.

When there are multiple components of a gene transfer system, forexample the one or more polynucleotides comprising genes for expressionin the target cell and optionally comprising transposon ends, and atransposase (which may be provided either as a protein or encoded by anucleic acid), these components can be transfected into a cell at thesame time, or sequentially. For example, a transposase protein or itsencoding nucleic acid may be transfected into a cell prior to,simultaneously with or subsequent to transfection of a correspondingtransposon. Additionally, administration of either component of the genetransfer system may occur repeatedly, for example, by administering atleast two doses of this component.

Bombyx or Xenopus transposase proteins may be encoded by polynucleotidesincluding RNA or DNA. Preferable RNA molecules include those withappropriate substitutions to reduce toxicity effects on the cell, forexample substitution of uridine with pseudouridine, and substitution ofcytosine with 5-methyl cytosine. Similarly, the nucleic acid encodingthe transposase protein or the transposon of this invention can betransfected into the cell as a linear fragment or as a circularizedfragment, either as a plasmid or as recombinant viral DNA.

The components of the gene transfer system may be transfected into oneor more cells by techniques such as particle bombardment,electroporation, microinjection, combining the components withlipid-containing vesicles, such as cationic lipid vesicles, DNAcondensing reagents (example, calcium phosphate, polylysine orpolyethyleneimine), and inserting the components (that is the nucleicacids thereof into a viral vector and contacting the viral vector withthe cell. Where a viral vector is used, the viral vector can include anyof a variety of viral vectors known in the art including viral vectorsselected from the group consisting of a retroviral vector, an adenovirusvector or an adeno-associated viral vector. The gene transfer system maybe formulated in a suitable manner as known in the art, or as apharmaceutical composition or kit.

5.2.9 Sequence Elements in Gene Transfer Systems

Expression of genes from a gene transfer polynucleotide integrated intoa host cell genome is often strongly influenced by the chromatinenvironment into which it integrates. Polynucleotides that areintegrated into euchromatin have higher levels of expression than thosethat are either integrated into heterochromatin, or which becomesilenced following their integration. Silencing of a heterologouspolynucleotide may be reduced if it comprises a chromatin controlelement. It is thus advantageous for gene transfer systems to comprisechromatin control elements such as sequences that prevent the spread ofheterochromatin (insulators). For example, it is advantageous for a genetransfer polynucleotide that will be integrated into a host genome tocomprise a sequence that is at least 95% identical to a sequenceselected from one of SEQ ID NOS: 869-876 and SEQ ID NO: 866.Advantageous gene transfer polynucleotides comprise an insulatorsequence that is at least 95% identical to a sequence selected from oneof SEQ ID NOS: 859-865, they may also comprise ubiquitously actingchromatin opening elements (UCOEs) or stabilizing and anti-repressorelements (STARs), to increase long-term stable expression from theintegrated gene transfer polynucleotide.

In some cases, it is advantageous for a gene transfer polynucleotide tocomprise two insulators, one on each side of the heterologouspolynucleotide that contains the sequences to be expressed. Theinsulators may be the same, or they may be different. Particularlyadvantageous gene transfer polynucleotides comprise a sequence that isat least 95% identical to a sequence selected from one of SEQ ID NO: 864or SEQ ID NO: 865 and a sequence that is at least 95% identical to asequence selected from one of SEQ ID NOS: 859-865. Insulators alsoshield expression control elements from one another. For example, when agene transfer polynucleotide comprises genes encoding two open readingframes, each operably linked to a different promoter, one promoter mayreduce expression from the other in a phenomenon known astranscriptional interference. Interposing an insulator sequence that isat least 95% identical to a sequence selected from one of SEQ ID NOS:859-865 between the two transcriptional units can reduce thisinterference, and increase expression from one or both promoters.

In preferred embodiments, a gene transfer vector comprises expressionelements capable of driving high levels of gene expression. Ineukaryotic cells, gene expression is regulated by several differentclasses of elements, including enhancers, promoters, introns, RNA exportelements, polyadenylation sequences and transcriptional terminators.

Particularly advantageous gene transfer polynucleotides for the transferof genes for expression into mammalian cells comprise an enhancer forimmediate early genes 1, 2 and 3 of cytomegalovirus (CMV) from eitherhuman or murine cells (for example sequences at least 95% identical toany of SEQ ID NOS: 877-889), an enhancer from the adenoviral major lateprotein enhancer (for example sequences at least 95% identical to SEQ IDNO: 890), or an enhancer from SV40 (for example sequences at least 95%identical to SEQ ID NO: 891).

Particularly advantageous gene transfer polynucleotides for the transferof genes for expression into mammalian cells comprise an EF1a promoterfrom any mammalian or avian species including human, rat, mice, chickenand Chinese hamster, (for example sequences at least 95% identical toany of SEQ ID NOS: 892-910); a promoter from the immediate early genes1, 2 and 3 of cytomegalovirus (CMV) from either human or murine cells(for example sequences at least 95% identical to any of SEQ ID NOS:911-920); a promoter for eukaryotic elongation factor 2 (EEF2) from anymammalian or avian species including human, rat, mice, chicken andChinese hamster, (for example sequences at least 95% identical to any ofSEQ ID NOS: 921-928); a GAPDH promoter from any mammalian or yeastspecies (for example sequences at least 95% identical to any of SEQ IDNOS: 936 and 949-951), an actin promoter from any mammalian or avianspecies including human, rat, mice, chicken and Chinese hamster (forexample sequences at least 95% identical to any of SEQ ID NOS: 929-935);a PGK promoter from any mammalian or avian species including human, rat,mice, chicken and Chinese hamster (for example sequences at least 95%identical to any of SEQ ID NOS: 937-940), or a ubiquitin promoter (forexample sequences at least 95% identical to SEQ ID NO: 941).

Particularly advantageous gene transfer polynucleotides for the transferof genes for expression into mammalian cells comprise an intron fromimmediate early genes 1, 2 and 3 of cytomegalovirus (CMV) from eitherhuman or murine cells (for example sequences at least 95% identical toany of SEQ ID NOS: 958-965), an intron from EFla from any mammalian oravian species including human, rat, mice, chicken and Chinese hamster,(for example sequences at least 95% identical to any of SEQ ID NOS:970-976), an intron from EEF2 from any mammalian or avian speciesincluding human, rat, mice, chicken and Chinese hamster, (for examplesequences at least 95% identical to any of SEQ ID NOS: 989-996); anintron from actin from any mammalian or avian species including human,rat, mice, chicken and Chinese hamster (for example sequences at least95% identical to any of SEQ ID NOS: 977-985), a GAPDH intron from anymammalian or avian species including human, rat, mice, chicken andChinese hamster (for example sequences at least 95% identical to any ofSEQ ID NOS: 986 or 987); an intron comprising the adenoviral major lateprotein enhancer for example sequences at least 95% identical to SEQ IDNO: 988) or a hybrid/synthetic intron (for example sequences at least95% identical to any of SEQ ID NOS: 966-969).

Particularly advantageous gene transfer polynucleotides comprisecombinations of promoters and introns in which a promoter from one geneis combined with an intron for a different gene, that is the intron isheterologous to the promoter. For example, an immediate early CMVpromoter from mouse (e.g. SEQ ID NOS: 916-920) or from human (forexample, SEQ ID NOS: 912-915) is advantageously followed by an intronfrom EF1a (e.g. SEQ ID NOS: 970-976) or an intron from EEF2 (forexample, SEQ ID NOS: 989-996).

Particularly advantageous gene transfer polynucleotides for the transferof genes for expression into mammalian cells comprise one or more of anexpression enhancer that enhances RNA export from the nucleus such aswoodchuck hepatitis post-transcriptional regulatory element (WPRE) orhepatitis B virus post-transcriptional regulatory element (HPRE) (forexample sequences at least 95% identical to any of SEQ ID NOS: 867 or868) and elements such as scaffold attachment region (SAR) sequences(for example sequences at least 95% identical to any of SEQ ID NOS:869-876). These expression enhancing elements are particularlyadvantageous when placed 3′ of a sequence to be expressed. We havedetermined that SAR sequences SEQ ID NOs: 869-871 enhance expression ofan open reading frame more when they are within the transcript than whenthey are after the polyadenylation signal. This is unexpected, since theproposed role of SARs is in attaching the genomic DNA sequences to thenuclear scaffold. SAR SEQ ID NOs: 869-871 are particularly beneficial toexpression of a polypeptide when combined with naturally occurring HPREpost-transcriptional regulatory element SEQ ID NO: 868, for example asin SEQ ID NO: 866. They are equally beneficial when combined with amodified variant of HPRE post-transcriptional regulatory element SEQ IDNO: 867, which we made by introducing a matched pair of mutations toremove a BfuAI restriction site without altering the RNA stem-loopstructure of the element, for example as in SEQ ID NO: 1100. We testedthe expression-enhancing effects of SEQ ID NO: 1100, by comparingexpression of a gene encoding DasherGFP from polynucleotides thatcomprised either SEQ ID NO: 866 or SEQ ID NO: 1100 or no additionalexpression enhancing elements between the DasherGFP gene and the rabbitglobin polyA sequence. The polynucleotides were integratred into thegenome of CHO cells, and expression of DasherGFP measured. SEQ ID NO:866 and SEQ ID NO: 1100 both produced expression levels of Dasher GFPthat were at least 110% or at least 120% or at least 200% or at least500% of the expression achieved without either element. Advantageousgene transfer polynucleotides comprise a sequence that is at least 95%identical or at least 98% identical or at least 99% identical or atleast 99.5% identical to SEQ ID NO: 866, or a sequence that is eitherSEQ ID NO: 866 or SEQ ID NO: 1100. These are particularly beneficialwhen further combined with a strong polyadenylation signal sequence, forexample the signal from the rabbit beta globin gene, for example as inSEQ ID NO: 1101-2. The effects of these elements may be further enhancedwhen combined with an insulator sequence. Particularly advantageouscombinations are given as SEQ ID NO: 820-858. An advantageous genetransfer polynucleotide comprises a sequence that is at least 90%identical or at least 95% identical or at least 99% identical with anyof SEQ ID NO: 820-858. Particularly advantageous gene transferpolynucleotides comprise a Xenopus or Bombyx transposon comprising asequence that is at least 90% identical or at least 95% identical or atleast 99% identical to a sequence selected from SEQ ID NO: 820-858.

Particularly advantageous gene transfer polynucleotides for the transferof a first and a second gene for co-expression into mammalian cellscomprise a promoter and optionally enhancer and introns operably linkedto the first gene, and a translational coupling element such as an IRESoperably linking expression of a second gene to the first. Particularlyadvantageous gene transfer polynucleotides comprise an IRES sequenceselected from SEQ ID NOS: 1050-1094.

Expression of two genes from a single polynucleotide can also beaccomplished by operably linking the expression of each gene to aseparate promoter, each of which may optionally be operably linked toenhancers and introns as described above. It is often advantageous toplace a genetic insulator such as the HS4core or D4Z4 core, between thetwo promoters, for example after the polyadenylation sequence operablylinked to the gene encoding the first polypeptide and before thepromoter operably linked to the gene encoding the second polypeptide.See Example 6.2.1 and Table 7, and compare row 12 with row 13, row 14with row 15, row 16 with row 17, row 18 with row 19, row 20 with row 21and row 22 with row 23. In each case the expression of the firstpolypeptide, the second polypeptide or both polypeptides was increasedby the presence of an insulator sequence interposed between the twopromoters.

Particularly advantageous combinations of promoters for expression oftwo polypeptides include configurations in which one polypeptide isexpressed operably linked to the EF1a promoter or the CMV promoter andthe second polypeptide is expressed operably linked to the CMV promoter,the GAPDH promoter, the EF1a promoter or the actin promoter. Specificcombinations of polyadenylation signals, terminators, enhancers,promoters, introns, 5′UTRs and insulators sequences that work well whenplaced following a gene that encodes a first polypeptide and preceding agene that encodes a second polypeptide (i.e. in a spacer polynucleotide)include SEQ ID NOS: 998-1049. Particularly advantageous gene transferpolynucleotides for the transfer of a first and a second gene forco-expression into mammalian cells comprise a sequence at least 90%identical or at least 95% identical or at least 99% identical to asequence selected from SEQ ID NOS: 998-1049.

5.2.10 Increasing Expression by Selection

High levels of expression may be obtained from genes encoded on genetransfer polynucleotides that are integrated at regions of the genomethat are highly transcriptionally active, or that are integrated intothe genome in multiple copies, or that are present extrachromosomally inmultiple copies.

The expression of a first expression polypeptide encoded on a genetransfer polynucleotide (the “expression polypeptide”) can be increasedif the gene transfer polynucleotide also comprises a sequence encoding aselectable polypeptide. It is often advantageous to operably link thegene encoding the selectable polypeptide to expression control elementsthat result in low levels of expression of the selectable polypeptidefrom the gene transfer polynucleotide and/or to use conditions thatprovide more stringent selection. Under these conditions, for theexpression cell to produce sufficient levels of the selectablepolypeptide encoded on the gene transfer polynucleotide to survive theselection conditions, the gene transfer polynucleotide must either bepresent in a favorable location in the cell's genome for high levels ofexpression, or a sufficiently high number of copies of the gene transferpolynucleotide must be present, such that these factors compensate forthe low levels of expression achievable because of the expressioncontrol elements.

The expression polypeptide and the selectable polypeptide may beincluded on the same gene transfer polynucleotide, but operably linkedto different promoters. In this case low expression levels of theselectable marker may be achieved by using a weakly active constitutivepromoter such as the phosphoglycerokinase (PGK) promoter (e.g. SEQ IDNOS: 937-940), the Herpes Simplex Virus thymidine kinase (HSV-TK)promoter (e.g. SEQ ID NO: 943), the MC1 promoter (for example SEQ ID NO:944), the ubiquitin promoter (for example SEQ ID NO: 941). Other weaklyactive promoters may be deliberately constructed, for example a promoterattenuated by truncation, such as a truncated SV40 promoter (for exampleSEQ ID NO: 945 or 946), a truncated HSV-TK promoter (for example SEQ IDNO: 942), or a promoter attenuated by insertion of a 5′UTR unfavorablefor expression between a promoter and the gene encoding the selectablepolypeptide, for example SEQ ID NOS: 956 or 957. Examples of attenuatedpromoters include an attenuated PGK promoter (SEQ ID NO: 947) and anattenuated HSV-TK promoter (SEQ ID NO: 948). Particularly advantageousgene transfer polynucleotides comprise a sequence that is at least 90%identical or at least 95% identical or at least 99% identical to any ofSEQ ID NOS: 937-948, operably linked to a gene encoding a selectablemarker.

Expression levels of a selectable marker may also be advantageouslyreduced by other mechanisms such as the insertion of the SV40 small tantigen intron after the gene for the selectable marker. The SV40 smallt intron accepts aberrant 5′ splice sites, and can lead to deletionswithin the preceding gene in a fraction of the spliced mRNAs, therebyreducing expression of the selectable marker. Particularly advantageousgene transfer polynucleotides comprise intron SEQ ID NO:997, operablylinked to a gene encoding a selectable marker. For this mechanism ofattenuation to be effective, it is preferable for the gene encoding theselectable marker to comprise a strong intron donor within its codingregion. Glutamine synthase SEQ ID NO: 703 may be encoded by the sequenceSEQ ID NO: 704 which comprises a strong intron donor. Puromycin acetyltransferase SEQ ID NO: 715 may be encoded by the sequence SEQ ID NO: 716which comprises a strong intron donor. Particularly advantageous genetransfer polynucleotides comprise a sequence at least 90% identical orat least 95% identical or at least 99% identical to either of SEQ ID NO:704 or SEQ ID NO: 716, and SEQ ID NO:997.

Expression levels of a selectable marker may also be advantageouslyreduced by other mechanisms such as insertion of an inhibitory 5′-UTRwithin the transcript, for example SEQ ID NO: 956 or 957. Particularlyadvantageous gene transfer polynucleotides comprise a promoter operablylinked to a gene encoding a selectable marker, wherein a sequence thatis at least 90% identical or at least 95% identical or at least 99%identical to SEQ ID NO: 956 or 957 is interposed between the promoterand the selectable marker.

Table 13 shows the transposition of transposons comprising a puromycinselectable marker operably linked to a relatively strong PGK promoter(SEQ ID NO: 937; Table 13 rows 2-4), or to a weaker HSV-TK promoter (SEQID NO: 942; Table 13 rows 5-9). Expression from transposons in whichpuromycin acetyl transferase was operably linked to the weaker promoterwas substantially higher than from transposons in which puromycin acetyltransferase was operably linked to the stronger promoter. However, thishigh expression required co-transfection of the transposon with atransposase. By operably linking the selectable marker to elements thatresult in weak expression, cells are selected which either incorporatemultiple copies of the transposon, or in which the transposon isintegrated at a favorable genomic location for high expression. Using agene transfer system that comprises a transposon and a correspondingtransposase, particularly a Xenopus transposon and a hyperactive Xenopustransposase or a Bombyx transposon and a hyperactive Bombyx transposaseincreases the likelihood that cells will be produced with multiplecopies of the transposon, or in which the transposon is integrated at afavorable genomic location for high expression, as shown in Examples6.3.1.2 and 6.3.2.2. Gene transfer systems comprising a transposon and acorresponding transposase are thus particularly advantageous when thetransposon comprises a selectable marker operably linked to weakpromoters, and when the transposase is a hyperactive transposase.Particularly advantageous transposons comprise selectable markersoperably linked to a promoter with at least 90% identity or at least 95%identity or at least 99% identity to a sequence selected from SEQ IDNOS: 942-948. Particularly advantageous gene transfer polynucleotidescomprise sequences with at least 90% identity or at least 95% identityor at least 99% identity to a sequence selected from SEQ ID NOS:719-749.

Another way to select for high levels of expression of a firstexpression polypeptide, is to translationally couple the gene encoding aselectable marker and the first expression polypeptide using an IRES.Preferably the IRES results in a much higher expression of the firstexpression polypeptide than the selectable marker. Many new IRESactivities are shown in Table 9 and described in Example 6.4.1. In theseexamples, the first expression polypeptide is a green fluorescentprotein and the selectable polypeptide is a red fluorescent protein.Each table also shows the expression level of the first expressionpolypeptide in a construct lacking the IRES and gene for the selectablepolypeptide. Particularly desirable IRES elements are those that have ahigh ratio of expression between the first expression polypeptide andthe selectable polypeptide, and that also have levels of expression ofthe first expression polypeptide that are close to the levels ofexpression obtained in the absence of the IRES and gene for theselectable polypeptide. From Table 9, it can be seen that IRES SEQ IDNOs: 1089, 1078, 1080, 1086, 1076, 1075, 1081, 1077, 1088, 1079, 1091,1066, 1094, 1093, 1072, 1068, 1071 have levels of expression of thefirst expression polypeptide that are at least 50% of the levels ofexpression obtained in the absence of the IRES and a second open readingframe in CHO cells, and IRES SEQ ID NOs: 1084, 1079, 1073, 1085, 1082,1074, 1080, 1066 have levels of expression of the first expressionpolypeptide that are at least 50% of the levels of expression obtainedin the absence of the IRES and a second open reading frame in HEK cells.IRES SEQ ID NOs:1091, 1070, 1069, 1090, 1094, 1077, 1067, 1089, 1068,1078, 1066, 1072, 1093, 1092, 1079, 1080, 1081, 1052, 1074, 1085, 1076,1088, 1075 and 1086 all express the second ORF at 15% or less than thelevel of the first ORF in CHO cells. IRES SEQ ID NOs: 1091, 1067, 1094,1070, 1089, 1092, 1090, 1069, 1078, 1074, 1077, 1085, 1084, 1053, 1096and 1073 all express the second ORF at 20% or less than the level of thefirst ORF in HEK cells.

These IRES elements are therefore particularly advantageous, when usedto link the expression of a first expression polypeptide to theexpression of a gene encoding a selectable marker in a gene transferpolynucleotide, wherein the gene transfer polynucleotide comprises agene encoding a first expression polypeptide on the 5′ side of the IRESand a gene encoding a selectable marker on the 3′ side of the IRES.Particularly advantageous gene transfer polynucleotides compriseselectable markers operably linked to an IRES selected from SEQ ID NOS:1052, 1053, 1066, 1068, 1072, 1073, 1074, 1075, 1076, 1077, 1078, 1079,1080, 1081, 1084, 1085, 1086, 1088, 1089, 1090, 1091, 1093 or 1094.

Common selectable polypeptides confer resistance of eukaryotic cells toantibiotics such as neomycin (resistance conferred by an aminoglycoside3′-phosphotransferase e.g. SEQ ID NO: 709-712), puromycin (resistanceconferred by puromycin acetyltransferase e.g. SEQ ID NOS: 713-716),blasticidin (resistance conferred by a blasticidin acetyltransferase anda blasticidin deaminase), hygromycin B (resistance conferred byhygromycin B phosphotransferase e.g. SEQ ID NO: 717-718 and zeocin(resistance conferred by binding protein, for example SEQ ID NO: 702).Other selectable polypeptides include those that are fluorescent (suchas GFP, RFP etc.) and can therefore be selected for example using flowcytometry. Other selectable polypeptides include transmembrane proteinsthat are able to bind to a second molecule (protein or small molecule)that can be fluorescently labelled so that the presence of thetransmembrane protein can be selected for example using flow cytometry.

Glutamine synthase (GS, for example SEQ ID NOS: 703 and 705) is used asa selectable marker that allows selection via glutamine metabolism.Glutamine synthase is the enzyme responsible for the biosynthesis ofglutamine from glutamate and ammonia, and is a crucial component of theonly pathway for glutamine formation in a mammalian cell. In the absenceof glutamine in the growth medium, the GS enzyme is essential for thesurvival of mammalian cells in culture. Some cell lines, for examplemouse myeloma cells do not express sufficient GS enzyme to survivewithout added glutamine. In these cells a transfected GS gene canfunction as a selectable marker by permitting growth in a glutamine-freemedium. In other cell lines, for example Chinese hamster ovary (CHO)cells express sufficient GS enzyme to survive without exogenously addedglutamine. These cell lines can be manipulated by genome editingtechniques including CRISPR/Cas9 to reduce or eliminate the activity ofthe GS enzyme. In all of these cases, GS inhibitors such as methioninesulphoximine (MSX) can be used to inhibit a cell's endogenous GSactivity. Selection protocols include introducing a construct comprisingsequences encoding a first polypeptide and a glutamine synthaseselectable marker, and then treating the cell with inhibitors ofglutamine synthase such as methionine sulphoximine. The higher thelevels of methionine sulphoximine that are used, the higher the level ofglutamine synthase expression is required to allow the cell tosynthesize sufficient glutamine to survive. Some of these cells willalso show an increased expression of the first polypeptide.

Preferably the GS gene is operably linked to a weak promoter or othersequence elements that attenuate expression as described herein, suchthat high levels of expression can only occur if many copies of the genetransfer polynucleotide are present, or if they are integrated in aposition in the genome where high levels of expression occur.

A second system for increasing expression by selection uses the enzymedihydrofolate reductase (DHFR, for example SEQ ID NO: 707 or 708) whichis required for catalyzing the reduction of 5,6-dihydrofolate (DHF) to5,6,7,8-tetrahydrofolate (THF) and is used as a selectable marker. Somecell lines do not express sufficient DHFR to survive without added THF.In these cells a transfected DHFR gene can function as a selectablemarker by permitting growth in a THF-free medium. DHFR-deficient celllines, for example Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells can be produced bygenome editing techniques including CRISPR/Cas9 to reduce or eliminatethe activity of the endogenous DHRF enzyme. DHFR confers resistance tomethotrexate (MTX). DHFR can be inhibited by higher levels ofmethotrexate. Selection protocols include introducing a constructcomprising sequences encoding a first polypeptide and a DHFR selectablemarker into a cell with or without an endogenous DHFR gene, and thentreating the cell with inhibitors of DHFR such as methotrexate. Thehigher the levels of methotrexate that are used, the higher the level ofDHFR expression is required to allow the cell to synthesize sufficientDHFR to survive. Some of these cells will also show an increasedexpression of the first polypeptide. Preferably the DHFR gene isoperably linked to a weak promoter or other sequence elements thatattenuate expression as described above, such that high levels ofexpression can only occur if many copies of the gene transferpolynucleotide are present, or if they are integrated in a position inthe genome where high levels of expression occur.

The combination of selectable marker and its operably linked controlelements profoundly affect the expression that can be obtained from agene transfer polynucleotide. Particularly advantageous gene transferpolynucleotides comprise a sequence that is at least 90% identical or atleast 95% identical or at least 99% identical to a sequence selectedfrom SEQ ID NOS: 719-749. Preferably these sequences are flanked by apair of transposon ends.

As shown in Table 15 and described in Example 6.3.2.2, the combinationof selectable marker and its operably linked control elements profoundlyaffect the expression that can be obtained from a second promoter on agene transfer polynucleotide. These effects are also influenced by thepresence of insulator sequences on the gene transfer polynucleotide.Particularly advantageous gene transfer polynucleotides comprise asequence that is at least 90% identical or at least 95% identical or atleast 99% identical to a sequence selected from SEQ ID NOS: 751-819.Particularly advantageous gene transfer polynucleotides comprise aXenopus or Bombyx transposon comprising a sequence that is at least 90%identical or at least 95% identical or at least 99% identical to asequence selected from SEQ ID NOS: 751-819.

The use of transposons and transposases in conjunction with suchselectable markers that are required for normal cell metabolism hasseveral advantages over non-transposon constructs. One is that linkagebetween expression of the first polypeptide and the selectable marker isbetter for transposons, because a transposase will integrate the entiresequence that lies between the two transposon ends into the genome. Incontrast when heterologous DNA is introduced into the nucleus of aeukaryotic cell, for example a mammalian cell, it is gradually brokeninto random fragments which may either be integrated into the cell'sgenome, or degraded. Thus if a construct comprising sequences thatencode a first polypeptide and a selectable marker required for normalcell metabolism is introduced into a population of cells, some cellswill integrate the sequences encoding the selectable marker but notthose encoding the first polypeptide, and vice versa. Selection of cellsexpressing high levels of selectable marker is thus only somewhatcorrelated with cells that also express high levels of the firstpolypeptide. In contrast, because the transposase integrates all of thesequences between the transposon ends, cells expressing high levels ofselectable marker are highly likely to also express high levels of thefirst polypeptide.

A second advantage of transposons and transposases is that they are muchmore efficient at integrating DNA sequences into the genome. Thus a muchhigher fraction of the cell population is likely to receive one or morecopies of the construct in their genomes, so there will be acorrespondingly higher likelihood of good stable expression of both theselectable marker and the first polypeptide.

A transposon that comprises a sequence encoding a first polypeptide anda selectable marker that can be inhibited by a small molecule inhibitormay thus be used to obtain cells expressing high levels of the firstpolypeptide. The first polypeptide may be part of an antibody. Preferredselectable markers are glutamine synthase and DHFR.

Higher numbers of integrated transposons may be selected usingselectable markers required for normal cell metabolism such as DHFR orglutamine synthase.

5.3 Kits

The present invention also features kits comprising a Bombyx transposaseas a protein or encoded by a nucleic acid, and/or a Bombyx transposon;or a gene transfer system as described herein comprising a Bombyxtransposase as a protein or encoded by a nucleic acid as describedherein, in combination with a Bombyx transposon; optionally togetherwith a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, adjuvant or vehicle, andoptionally with instructions for use. Any of the components of theinventive kit may be administered and/or transfected into cells in asubsequent order or in parallel, e.g. a Bombyx transposase protein orits encoding nucleic acid may be administered and/or transfected into acell as defined above prior to, simultaneously with or subsequent toadministration and/or transfection of a Bombyx transposon.Alternatively, a Bombyx transposon may be transfected into a cell asdefined above prior to, simultaneously with or subsequent totransfection of a Bombyx transposase protein or its encoding nucleicacid. If transfected in parallel, preferably both components areprovided in a separated formulation and/or mixed with each otherdirectly prior to administration to avoid transposition prior totransfection. Additionally, administration and/or transfection of atleast one component of the kit may occur in a time staggered mode, e.g.by administering multiple doses of this component.

In addition, the present invention also features kits comprisingaXenopus transposase as a protein or encoded by a nucleic acid, and/or aXenopus transposon; or a gene transfer system as described hereincomprising aXenopus transposase as a protein or encoded by a nucleicacid as described herein, in combination with aXenopus transposon;optionally together with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, adjuvantor vehicle, and optionally with instructions for use. Any of thecomponents of the inventive kit may be administered and/or transfectedinto cells in a subsequent order or in parallel, e.g. aXenopustransposase protein or its encoding nucleic acid may be administeredand/or transfected into a cell as defined above prior to, simultaneouslywith or subsequent to administration and/or transfection of a Xenopustransposon. Alternatively, aXenopus transposon may be transfected into acell as defined above prior to, simultaneously with or subsequent totransfection of aXenopus transposase protein or its encoding nucleicacid. If transfected in parallel, preferably both components areprovided in a separated formulation and/or mixed with each otherdirectly prior to administration the to avoid transposition prior totransfection. Additionally, administration and/or transfection of atleast one component of the kit may occur in a time staggered mode, e.g.by administering multiple doses of this component.

6. EXAMPLES

The following examples illustrate the methods, compositions and kitsdisclosed herein and should not be construed as limiting in any way.Various equivalents will be apparent from the following examples; suchequivalents are also contemplated to be part of the invention disclosedherein.

6.1 Transposases 6.1.1 Xenopus- and Bombyx-Derived Transposases

Joining a pair of transposon ends onto the ends of a heterologouspolynucleotide can create a synthetic transposon that can be integratedinto a target genome by a transposase. Table 1 shows the configurationsof 4 different synthetic transposons created by joining the transposonend whose SEQ ID NO is given in column A to one side of the reporterconstruct SEQ ID NO: 39, joining the transposon end whose SEQ ID NO isgiven in column B to the other side of the reporter construct andflanking both by the target sequence given in column C. Thesetransposons were then transfected into CHO-K1 cells together with genesencoding transposases whose SEQ ID NO is shown in column F, operablylinked to the CMV promoter. The amount of each DNA in each transfectionis shown in columns E (transposon) and H (transposase) of Table 1.

CHO-K1 cells were transfected and puromycin-selected as described inSection 4.2.1. Fluorescence was measured at Ex/Em of 488/518 nm, and isa measure of expression of the ORF encoding fluorescent reporterDasherGFP from stably integrated transposons, fluorescence from 3independent transfections is shown in Table 1 columns J-L.

Table 1 rows 3, 5, 10 and 15 show the results from three differenttransposons transfected into CHO cells without any co-transfectedtransposase. In each case there were few to no live cells that survivedthe puromycin selection (column I), and no fluorescence from the DasherGFP (columns J, K and L), indicating that the transposons had either notintegrated, or not integrated in a way that allowed subsequentexpression of the genes encoded on the transposons.

Table 1 rows 3 and 4 compares fluorescence obtained from a transposonwith ends taken from the looper moth Trichoplusia ni piggyBac transposon(SEQ ID NO: 35 and 36), either transfected alone (row 3) orco-transfected with a plasmid carrying a gene encoding the hyperactivepiggyBac transposase (SEQ ID NO 698) operably linked to the CMV promoter(row 4). Co-transfection with the transposase gene increased cellviability to give 100% confluence, and the fluorescent signal increasedfrom background to ˜660 units.

Table 1 rows 5-14 compares fluorescence obtained from a transposon withends with SEQ ID NO: 1 and 11, either transfected alone (row 5) orco-transfected with a gene encoding Xenopus transposase SEQ ID NO: 49alone (row 7) or fused to a heterologous nuclear localization signal(row 6), or co-transfected with a gene encoding Xenopus transposase SEQID NO: 48 alone (row 9) or fused to a heterologous nuclear localizationsignal (row 8); or a transposon with ends with SEQ ID NO: 3 and 12,either transfected alone (row 10) or co-transfected with a gene encodingXenopus transposase SEQ ID NO: 49 alone (row 12) or fused to aheterologous nuclear localization signal (row 11), or co-transfectedwith a gene encoding Xenopus transposase SEQ ID NO: 48 alone (row 14) orfused to a heterologous nuclear localization signal (row 13).Co-transfection with either transposase fused to a nuclear localizationsignal increased cell viability to give 100% confluence, and thefluorescent signal increased from background to ˜1,000 units. In theabsence of the nuclear localization signal viable cells and expressionlevels were less than 10% of the values obtained with the transposasesfused to heterologous nuclear localization signals. Heterologous nuclearlocalization signals are thus required for naturally occurring Xenopustransposases (for example SEQ ID NOS: 48 and 49) to efficientlyintegrate transposons into the nucleus of mammalian cells in a way thatallows subsequent expression of the genes encoded on the transposons.

The data in Table 1 shows that, when fused to a heterologous nuclearlocalization signal, Xenopus transposases SEQ ID NO: 48 and 49 areactive at transposing synthetic Xenopus transposons into the genome of amammalian cell. These transposon ends each contain an ITR with thesequence 5′-CCYTTTBMCTGCCA-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 19), where the ITRs are foundin the two ends in an inverted orientation relative to each other. Italso shows that the fusion of these transposases to a heterologousnuclear localization signal are more active in this assay than thehyperactive piggyBac transposase derived from the looper mothTrichoplusia ni.

Table 1 rows 15-19 compares fluorescence obtained from a transposon withends with SEQ ID NO: 23 and 29, either transfected alone (row 15) orco-transfected with a gene encoding Bombyx transposase SEQ ID NO: 750alone (row 17) or fused to a heterologous nuclear localization signal(row 16), or co-transfected with a gene encoding Bombyx transposase SEQID NO: 407 alone (row 19) or fused to a heterologous nuclearlocalization signal (row 18). Co-transfection with transposase SEQ IDNO: 407, whether or not it was fused to a nuclear localization signalincreased cell viability to give 100% confluence, and the fluorescentsignal increased from background to ˜1,000 units. Co-transfection withtransposase SEQ ID NO: 750, whether or not it was fused to a nuclearlocalization signal resulted in viable cells and expression levels wereless than 1% of the values obtained with the transposase SEQ ID NO: 407.Thus transposase SEQ ID NO: 407 is active at transposing syntheticBombyx transposons into the genome of a mammalian cell.

6.1.2 Xenopus- and Bombyx-Derived Transposons

6.1.2.1 Bombyx Transposon Ends

Transposon ends of naturally occurring transposons were modified bytruncation or by changing the target sequences. These transposon endswere then joined to the ends of a heterologous polynucleotide to createsynthetic transposons that can be integrated into a target genome by atransposase. Table 2 shows the configurations of 12 different synthetictransposons created by joining the transposon end whose SEQ ID NO isgiven in column A to one side of the reporter construct SEQ ID NO: 39,joining the transposon end whose SEQ ID NO is given in column B to theother side of the reporter construct and flanking both by the targetsequence given in column C. These transposons were then transfected intoCHO-K1 cells together with genes encoding transposases whose SEQ ID NOis shown in column G, optionally fused to a heterologous nuclearlocalization signal (as shown in column H) and operably linked to theCMV promoter. The amount of each DNA in each transfection is shown incolumns F (transposon) and I (transposase) of Table 2. Transfection andselection were as described in Section 4.2.1.

Cells were harvested by scraping and measured in a fluorimetric platereader, fluorescence from 3 independent transfections is shown in Table2 columns J-L. Fluorescence was measured at Ex/Em of 488/518 nm, and isa measure of expression of the ORF encoding fluorescent reporterDasherGFP from stably integrated transposons.

Bombyx left and right transposon ends could both be truncated from theproximal end (that is the end furthest from the ITR) while retainingtransposon function. Table 2 rows 2-9 show that expression fromheterologous polynucleotides inserted into the CHO genome was enhancedby co-transfection with a construct encoding Bombyx transposase SEQ IDNO: 407 wherein the heterologous polynucleotides comprised a lefttransposon end of a target sequence followed by SEQ ID NO: 23, 24 or 25,and a right transposon end of SEQ ID NO: 29 or 31 followed by a targetsequence.

The test performed here shows that these ends comprise all of thesequences necessary to create a Bombyx transposon that can be integratedinto the genome of a target cell. However, it has previously been shownfor the looper moth piggyBac transposon that longer sequences arerequired for transformation of target genomes than for excision of thetransposon by the transposase, or for inter-plasmid transposition, asdescribed in Li et. al (2005) Insect Mol. Biol. 14: 17-30. “piggyBacinternal sequences are necessary for efficient transformation of targetgenomes.” and Li et. al (2001) Mol Genet Genomics 266:190-8. “Theminimum internal and external sequence requirements for transposition ofthe eukaryotic transformation vector piggyBac.”. We infer that shortersequences of the Bombyx transposon will also be competent for excisionor for inter-plasmid transposition. Important sequences for looper mothpiggyBac transposon excision are the terminal repeats and internalrepeats in each end. The Bombyx transposon comprises several internalrepeats whch probably perform analogous functions. Bombyx left end SEQID NO: 25 comprises SEQ ID NO: 1103, and an inverted copy of this SEQ IDNO: 1104; it also comprises SEQ ID NO: 1105, and an inverted copy ofthis SEQ ID NO: 1106; it also comprises two AT rich palindromes SEQ IDNO: 1107 and SEQ ID NO: 1108. Bombyx right end SEQ ID NO: 31 comprisestwo copies of the AT richsequence SEQ ID NO: 1110. Bombyx right end SEQID NO: 31 also comprises a copy of SEQ ID NO: 1106, which is foundrepeated in both orientations in left end SEQ ID NO: 25. Bombyx left endSEQ ID NO: 25 and right end SEQ ID NO: 31 also each comprise a copy ofSEQ ID NO: 1109. A Bombyx transposon can comprise a left end comprising1 or 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 or 6 or 7 sequences selected from SEQ ID NO:1103-1110. A Bombyx transposon can comprise a right end comprising 1 or2 or 3 sequences selected from SEQ ID NO: 1106 and 1109-1110.

We also found that we could change the 5′-TTAT-3′ target sequenceflanking the Bombyx-based transposon to 5′-TTAA-3′ and still obtain ahigh transposase-dependent DasherGFP signal (compare rows 3 and 11 inTable 2). Thus a Bombyx transposase is effective at transposingtransposons with different target sequences including 5′-TTAT-3′ and5′-TTAA-3′ target sequences.

6.1.2.2 Xenopus Transposon Ends

Tables 2 and 3 also show expression from Xenopus transposons withtruncated ends or modified target sequences. Both tables show theconfigurations of synthetic transposons created by joining thetransposon end whose SEQ ID NO is given in column A to one side of thereporter construct SEQ ID NO: 39, joining the transposon end whose SEQID NO is given in column B to the other side of the reporter constructand flanking both by the target sequence given in column C. Thesetransposons were then transfected into CHO-K1 cells together with genesencoding transposases whose SEQ ID NO is shown in column G, optionallyfused to a heterologous nuclear localization signal (as shown in columnH) and operably linked to the CMV promoter. The amount of each DNA ineach transfection is shown in columns F (transposon) and I (transposase)of Tables 2 and 3. Transfection and selection were as described inSection 4.2.1.

Cells were harvested by scraping and measured in a fluorimetric platereader, fluorescence from 3 independent transfections is shown in Tables2 and 3 columns J-L. Fluorescence was measured at Ex/Em of 488/518 nm,and is a measure of expression of the ORF encoding fluorescent reporterDasherGFP from stably integrated transposons.

Table 2 rows 13-20 and Table 3 rows 2-11 show that expression fromheterologous polynucleotides inserted into the CHO genome was enhancedby co-transfection with a construct encoding Xenopus transposase SEQ IDNO: 48 fused to a nuclear localization sequence, wherein theheterologous polynucleotides comprised a left transposon ends of atarget sequence followed by SEQ ID NO: 1 or 3-7 and a right transposonend of SEQ ID NO: 11-13 or 15-16 followed by a target sequence.

The test performed here shows that these ends comprise all of thesequences necessary to create a Xenopus transposon that can beintegrated into the genome of a target cell. However, it has previouslybeen shown for the looper moth piggyBac transposon that longer sequencesare required for transformation of target genomes than for excision ofthe transposon by the transposase, or for inter-plasmid transposition,as described in Li et. al (2005) Insect Mol. Biol. 14: 17-30. “piggyBacinternal sequences are necessary for efficient transformation of targetgenomes.” and Li et. al (2001) Mol Genet Genomics 266:190-8. “Theminimum internal and external sequence requirements for transposition ofthe eukaryotic transformation vector piggyBac.”. We infer that shortersequences of the Xenopus transposon will also be competent for excisionor for inter-plasmid transposition.

We also found that we could change a 5′-TTAA-3′ target sequence flankingthe Xenopus-based transposon to a 5′-TTAT-3′ target sequence and stillobtain a high transposase-dependent DasherGFP signal (compare rows 14and 22 in Table 2). The ITRs for these transposons were adjacent to theleft target sequence, sequence SEQ ID NO: 20 (5′-CCCTTTGCCTGCCA-3′), andadjacent to the right target sequence, sequence SEQ ID NO: 21(5′-TGGCAGTGAAAGGG-3′).

Thus a Xenopus transposase is effective at transposing transposons withdifferent target sequences including 5′-TTAT-3′ and 5′-TTAA-3′ targetsequences.

We also found that we could change the 5′-TTAA-3′ target sequenceflanking the Trichoplusia ni-based transposon to 5′-TTAT-3′ and stillobtain a high transposase-dependent DasherGFP signal (compare rows 24and 26 in Table 2). Thus the Trichoplusia ni piggyBac transposase iseffective at transposing transposons with different target sequencesincluding 5′-TTAT-3′ and 5′-TTAA-3′ target sequences.

6.1.3 Transposon Integration by Transposase Provided as mRNA

6.1.3.1 Xenopus Transposase mRNA

A transposase may be provided as a protein, or as a polynucleotideencoding the transposase; the encoding polynucleotide may be expressibleDNA or RNA. mRNA encoding Xenopus transposase SEQ ID NO: 48 fused to aheterologous NLS was prepared as described in Section 4.2.3.

Transposon ends were joined to the ends of a heterologous polynucleotideto create synthetic transposons: the transposon ends whose SEQ ID NOsare given in columns A and B of Table 5 were joined to either side ofreporter construct SEQ ID NO: 39, and flanked by 5′-TTAA-3′ targetsequences. These transposons were transfected into CHO-K1 cells togetherwith polynucleotides encoding transposases whose SEQ ID NO is shown incolumn E of Table 5. If the polynucleotide was DNA, the gene encodingthe transposase was operably linked to the promoter indicated in columnG, and the amount of transposase gene DNA per transfection is indicatedin column H. If the polynucleotide was provided as mRNA, the amount ofRNA per transfection is indicated in column I. The amount of eachtransposon DNA in each transfection is shown in column D of Table 5.Transfection and selection was as described in Section 4.2.1.

Cells were harvested by scraping and measured in a fluorimetric platereader. Fluorescence, shown in columns J-L, was measured at Ex/Em of488/518 nm, and is a measure of expression of the ORF encodingfluorescent reporter DasherGFP from stably integrated transposons.

Table 5 shows that co-transfection of a transposon with Xenopustransposon ends (each comprising SEQ ID NO: 19) together with mRNAencoding a Xenopus transposase fused to a heterologous NLS, resulted inup to 50× increases in expression relative to the cells transfected withtransposon alone, and comparable to the expression enhancement obtainedwhen the transposase was provided encoded in DNA (compare rows 9-12 withrows 5-8 and row 4. Also compare rows 18-21 with rows 14-17 and row 13).Thus a Xenopus transposase may be provided as mRNA that can betranslated in the target cell.

6.1.3.2 Bombyx Transposase mRNA

A similar experiment to the one described in 6.1.3.1 was performed withmRNA encoding Bombyx transposase 407 fused to a heterologous NLS, alsoprepared by in vitro transcription as described in Section 4.2.3.

Transposon ends were joined to the ends of a heterologous polynucleotideto create synthetic transposons that can be integrated into a targetgenome by a transposase. Table 6 shows the configurations of 3 differentsynthetic transposons. Transposons had a 5′-TTAA-3′ target sequencefollowed by a transposon end whose SEQ ID NO is given in column A,followed by the reporter construct whose SEQ ID NO is given in column B,followed by the transposon end whose SEQ ID NO is given in column C,followed by a 5′-TTAA-3′ target sequence.

These transposons were transfected into CHO-K1 cells together withpolynucleotides encoding transposases whose SEQ ID NO is shown in columnF of Table 6. If the polynucleotide was DNA, the gene encoding thetransposase was operably linked to the CMV promoter, and the amount oftransposase gene DNA per transfection is indicated in column H. If thepolynucleotide was provided as mRNA, the amount of RNA per transfectionis indicated in column I. The amount of each transposon DNA in eachtransfection is shown in column E of Table 6. Transfection and selectionwere as described in Section 4.2.1. Cells were harvested by scraping andmeasured in a fluorimetric plate reader. Fluorescence, shown in columnsJ-L, was measured at Ex/Em of 488/518 nm, and is a measure of expressionof the open reading frame (ORF) encoding fluorescent reporter DasherGFPfrom stably integrated transposons.

Table 6 shows that co-transfection of a transposon with Bombyxtransposon ends (each comprising SEQ ID NO: 33) together with mRNAencoding a Bombyx transposase fused to a heterologous NLS, resulted inup to 100× increases in expression relative to the cells transfectedwith transposon alone, and comparable to the expression enhancementobtained when the transposase was provided encoded in DNA (compare rows5-8 with rows 9-11 and row 4. Also compare rows 13-16 with rows 17-19and row 12). Thus a Bombyx transposase may be provided as mRNA that canbe translated in the target cell.

6.1.3.3 Hyperactive Xenopus Transposase mRNA

It is advantageous to provide a transposase as expressible RNA, sincethis avoids any possibility that the transposase gene may be integratedinto the target genome. Messenger RNA encoding hyperactive Xenopustransposases, SEQ ID NO: 168, 189 and 175, fused to a heterologous NLSwere prepared by in vitro transcription using T7 RNA polymerase asdescribed in Section 4.2.3.

A transposon comprised 5′-TTAA-3′ target sequences, transposon endsequences SEQ ID Nos: 2 and 12, and a CMV enhancer and CMV promoteroperably linked to a gene encoding DasherGFP. The transposon alsocomprised the murine phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK) promoter, SEQ ID NO:937, operably linked to a gene encoding puromycin N-acetyl transferase.

The transposon was transfected into CHO-S suspension cells together withpolynucleotides encoding transposases whose SEQ ID NO is shown in columnC of Table 12. The amount of transposase mRNA per transfection isindicated in column F. The amount of each transposon DNA in eachtransfection is shown in column E of Table 12.

CHO-S cells were transfected as described in Section 4.2.2. Puromycin(50 μg/ml) selection was carried out for 10 days, and cells were grownfor 5 days post puromycin selection with two passages and changes ofmedia. Cells were harvested by pipetting directly into a fluorimetricplate and measured in a fluorimetric plate reader. Fluorescence wasmeasured at Ex/Em of 488/518 nm, and is a measure of expression of theORF encoding fluorescent reporter DasherGFP from stably integratedtransposons.

Table 12 shows that there was no significant difference in fluorescencebetween samples at 72 hours post-transfection. However, after 10 days ofpuromycin treatment, fluorescence from all transposons that had beenco-transfected with a hyperactive transposase mRNA was between 5 and30-fold brighter than from transposons co-transfected with mRNA encodingnatural Xenopus transposase SEQ ID NO: 48. After 5 days of recovery, allhyperactive transposase co-transfections were still outperforming SEQ IDNO: 48. Thus hyperactive transposases identified using a functionalscreen in Saccharomyces cerevisiae lead to reduced recovery times andincreased expression from transposons in mammalian cells, andhyperactive Xenopus transposases may be provided as mRNA that can betranslated in the target cell.

6.1.3.4 Hyperactive Xenopus and Bombyx Transposase mRNA

Messenger RNA encoding hyperactive Xenopus transposases SEQ ID NO: 175and 189, fused to a heterologous NLS, or Bombyx transposases SEQ ID NO:407 and 1098 were prepared by in vitro transcription using T7 RNApolymerase as described in Section 4.2.3.

Transposons comprised transposon end sequences with SEQ ID NOs given incolumns B and C of Table 13. The transposons further comprised a CMVenhancer and CMV promoter operably linked to a gene encoding DasherGFP,and a gene encoding puromycin acetyl transferase operably linked to apromoter with SEQ ID NO shown in column F. Transposons (750 ng) wereco-transfected with 250 ng mRNA encoding a transposase with SEQ ID NOshown in column G, fused to a heterologous nuclear localization signal.

CHO-S cells (from ATCC) were transfected as described in Section 4.2.2.Puromycin (10 μg/ml) selection was carried out for 10 days, with acomplete media change into fresh puromycin-containing media after 5days. After 10 days, cells were transferred to fresh media containing 25μg/ml puromycin for 4 days. Cells were grown for 5 days post puromycinselection with two passages and changes of media. Cells were harvestedby pipetting directly into a fluorimetric plate and measured in afluorimetric plate reader. Fluorescence was measured at Ex/Em of 488/518nm, and is a measure of expression of the ORF encoding fluorescentreporter DasherGFP from stably integrated transposons, triplicatemeasurements are shown in columns H-J of Table 13.

Table 13 shows that mRNAs encoding hyperactive Xenopus or Bombyxtransposases are active on their respective transposons.

6.2 Polynucleotide Constructs for Expression of Multiple Proteins 6.2.1Transposons with Dual Promoter or IRES Configurations (1)

Transposons and transposases may be used to efficiently integratepolynucleotide constructs encoding two or more polypeptides into thegenome of a cell. Transposons are useful for this purpose because atransposase will usually integrate all of the DNA between the twotransposon ends during the transposition process. This means thatsequence elements that are configured to achieve a specific ratio ofexpression between the different encoded genes are more likely to bepreserved, than if random fragments of the polynucleotide are insertedinto the genome of the target cell. It also means that all of theencoded genes will be integrated at each integration event which isuseful with larger polynucleotide constructs.

Table 7 shows the configurations of a set of transposons comprising5′-TTAA-3′ target sequences and transposon ends SEQ ID NOS: 2 and 12.Transposons comprised genes encoding DasherGFP and CayenneRFP, exceptfor rows 1 and 2 in which only one fluorescent protein was present(columns C and D). When both fluorescent protein genes were present, theDasherGFP gene always occurred first. All of the transposons alsocomprised a puromycin resistance gene operably linked to the PGKpromoter and transcribed in the opposite direction to the genes for thefluorescent proteins. All of the transposons also comprised a pair ofHS4 insulators, one adjacent to each transposon end. In someconfigurations (rows 8-23) the two genes were each operably linked toseparate promoters and polyadenylation signals, in some configurationsthe genes were operably linked to a single promoter preceding the firstgene and a single polyA signal following the second gene, where the twogenes were operably linked by an IRES sequence or a CHYSEL sequence. Thetransposons comprised the SEQ ID NO given in column A between the firstand second open reading frames. Regulatory elements associated with eachgene are shown in columns E-L of Table 7. The number 1 in the headersindicates promoters preceding or polyA signals following the first gene,the number 2 in the headers indicates promoters preceding or polyAsignals following the second gene. All of these sequences furthercomprised expression enhancing sequence SEQ ID NO: 866 sequencepreceding the last polyadenylation signal. Transposons were transfectedinto CHO cells together with a gene encoding a transposase (SEQ ID NO:48) fused to a nuclear localization signal, operably linked to the CMVpromoter. CHO cells were transfected and selected as described inSection 4.2.1. Fluorescence represents expression of the ORFs encodingfluorescent reporter DasherGFP from stably integrated transposonsmeasured at Ex/Em of 488/518 nm and CayenneRFP was measured at Ex/Em of525/580 nm. Mean fluorescence from triplicate independent transfectionsare shown in Table 7 columns M and N respectively.

Column O in Table 7 shows the ratio of red to green fluorescenceobtained for each transposon. Because the two fluorescent proteinsfluoresce with different intensities, this is not a measurement of theratios of concentration of the two proteins. Row 3 shows thefluorescence obtained when the two proteins are coupled by a CHYSELsequence. This produces close to equimolar amounts of the two proteins,and gives a red to green fluorescence ratio of 0.21. Column P shows thered to green ratios of column O, normalized by dividing by 0.21, toobtain the ratio at which the two proteins are expressed. Column Q showsthe expression of DasherGFP relative to the expression when DasherGFP isthe only encoded fluorescent protein.

Coupling the translation of two open reading frames through IRES SEQ IDNOS: 1062-1064 produced very high levels of expression of the firstencoded protein (at least 70% of the amount of protein obtained from amonocistronic construct, compare row 2 with rows 4-7). These constructsalso produced the second encoded protein at between 0.33 and 0.48 thelevels of the first. Ratios or 1:0.33 to 1:0.48 are very good forproduction of light and heavy chains of antibodies respectively. ThusIRES SEQ ID NOS: 1062-1064 are preferred components of polynucleotideconstructs for the efficient production of antibodies.

Another way to obtain expression of two genes from one polynucleotide isto operably link each gene to a separate promoter. Rows 8-23 of Table 7show a variety of different configurations for the regulatory elementsassociated with the second open reading frame. In general, theexpression of the first encoded protein was less in these constructsthan in the IRES-coupled constructs (column Q). However, a greater rangeof expressions of the second encoded gene were obtained (column P).Expression of one gene and often both genes was substantially increasedif an HS4 core insulator (SEQ ID NO: 865) was interposed between thepolyadenylation sequence operably linked to the first open readingframe, and the promoter operably linked to the second open reading frame(compare rows 14 and 15, rows 16 and 17, rows 18 and 19, rows 20 and 21,rows 22 and 23, and rows 12 and 13). The placement of an insulatorsequence such as the HS4 core insulator sequence between apolyadenylation sequence operably linked to a first open reading frame,and a promoter operably linked to a second open reading frame, is thus apreferred configuration for expressing two genes from the samepolynucleotide.

Advantageous vector configurations for the expression of twopolypeptides include those in which a gene encoding a first polypeptideis operably linked to control elements including an EF1 intron from onespecies, and a gene encoding a second polypeptide is operably linked tocontrol elements including an EF1 intron from a second species.Advantageous vector configurations for the expression of twopolypeptides include those in which a gene encoding a first polypeptideis operably linked to control elements including an EF1 promoter fromone species, and a gene encoding a second polypeptide is operably linkedto control elements including an EF1 promoter from a second species.Advantageous vector configurations for the expression of twopolypeptides include those in which a gene encoding a first polypeptideis operably linked to control elements including a human CMV promoter,and a gene encoding a second polypeptide is operably linked to controlelements including a murine CMV promoter.

Advantageous vector configurations for the expression of twopolypeptides include those in which a gene encoding a first polypeptideis operably linked to control elements including a sequence that is atleast 95% identical to a sequence selected from SEQ ID NO: 1015, 1019,1022, 1026, 1027, 1028, 1029 or 1099.

6.2.2 Transposons with Dual Promoter or IRES Configurations (2)

Configurations of a set of transposons comprising genes encodingDasherGFP and/or CayenneRFP are indicated in Table 8 (columns D and E).When both fluorescent protein genes were present, the DasherGFP genealways occurred first. All of the transposons also comprised a puromycinresistance gene operably linked to the PGK promoter and transcribed inthe opposite direction to the genes for the fluorescent proteins. Two ofthe transposons (Transposons 188209 and 188219, column B) also compriseda pair of HS4 insulators, one adjacent to each transposon end. In someconfigurations the two genes were each operably linked to separatepromoters and polyadenylation signals, in some configurations the geneswere operably linked to a single promoter preceding the first gene and asingle polyA signal following the second gene, where the two genes areoperably linked by an IRES sequence or a CHYSEL sequence. The number 1indicates promoters preceding or polyA signals following the first gene,the number 2 indicates promoters preceding or polyA signals followingthe second gene. All of these sequences further comprised expressionenhancing sequence SEQ ID NO: 866 preceding the last polyadenylationsignal. Transposons were transfected into CHO cells plus or minus a geneencoding a transposase (SEQ ID NO: 48) fused to a nuclear localizationsignal, operably linked to the CMV promoter (column O).

CHO-K1 cells were transfected and selected as described in Section4.2.1. Fluorescence represents expression of the ORFs encodingfluorescent reporter DasherGFP from stably integrated transposonsmeasured at Ex/Em of 488/518 nm and CayenneRFP was measured at Ex/Em of525/580 nm (Table 8 columns P-U)

Co-transfection of transposons with the vector encoding the transposaseincreased expression of both proteins encoded by the transposon between4-fold and nearly 20-fold relative to transfections with the transposonalone. Expression of two polypeptides from a transposon are improved bythe activity of a transposase. The best expressing transposons comprisedflanking HS4 insulators, and expression of the two polypeptides coupledby an IRES. These are thus preferred configurations for transposons forexpression of two polypeptides.

6.3 Modified Transposases 6.3.1 Hyperactive Xenopus Transposases

6.3.1.1 Identification of Hyperactive Xenopus Transposases

To identify Xenopus transposase mutations that led to either increasedtransposition activity, or increased excision activity, relative to thenaturally occurring transposase sequence SEQ ID NO: 48, we first createdlibraries that together contained all possible single amino acid changesfrom SEQ ID NO: 48, fused to a heterologous nuclear localizationsequence. To do this, a gene encoding Xenopus transposase fused to aheterologous nuclear localization sequence (SEQ ID NO: 50) was amplifiedby PCR, using degenerate primers to incorporate all possible amino acidsat a single position. This “site-saturation” library was cloned into avector comprising a leucine selectable marker; genes encoding thetransposase mutants were operably linked to the Saccharomyces cerevisiaeGal-1 promoter. One library was created for each of the 589 amino acidsin the transposase. Each library was sequenced across the mutagenizedposition to ensure that no unintended mutations had been introduced, andthat the targeted codon was indeed mutated.

The cloned libraries were then pooled, each pool comprising librariesfor six adjacent amino acid positions, i.e. amino acids 1-6, 7-12, 13-18etc. Each library pool was then transformed into Saccharomycescerevisiae cells that were carrying a genomically integrated Xenopustransposon selection cassette, and plated on minimal complete medialacking leucine to select for transformants carrying the leucineselectable marker.

The Xenopus transposon selection cassette (SEQ ID NO: 44) comprised theSaccharomyces cerevisiae URA3 promoter followed by a gene encoding thefirst part of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae URA3 protein. The URA3protein was interrupted at a TTAA sequence within its coding region by atransposon insert comprising Xenopus left transposon end SEQ ID NO: 2,the TEF promoter from Ashbya gossypii, an open reading frame encodingthe Saccharomyces cerevisiae TRP 1 protein, the TEF terminator fromAshbya gossypii and Xenopus right transposon end SEQ ID NO: 12. On theother side of the transposon insert was a DNA sequence encoding theremainder of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae URA3 protein, followed by theSaccharomyces cerevisiae URA3 terminator. The transposon was insertedsuch that the TTAA sequence was present at both ends, and removal of thetransposon to leave a single copy of this TTAA would result in acomplete and functional gene encoding the Saccharomyces cerevisiae URA3protein.

Two days after plating, transformed Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells wereharvested by adding 5 ml sterile water to each plate, and gentlyscraping to resuspend the cells. Cells were combined into poolsrepresenting 60 adjacent amino acids, i.e. 1-60, 61-120, 121-180 etc.The A₆₀₀ of each pool was measured, and used to estimate theconcentration of live cells. Plasmid DNA was prepared from a portion ofeach pool for sequencing. This was to determine the frequency of eachamino acid change in the naïve (unselected) library. The cells were thenselected under 3 different regimes.

Selection 1: 2×10⁸ cells from each pool were transferred to minimalmedia minus leucine containing 2% galactose, and grown for 4 hours at30° C. Cells were then plated onto minimal complete media lackinguracil, tryptophan and leucine. Two days after plating, transformedSaccharomyces cerevisiae cells were harvested by adding 5 ml sterilewater to each plate, and gently scraping to resuspend the cells. PlasmidDNA was prepared to determine the frequency of each amino acid change inthe selected library.

Selection 2: 2×10⁸ cells from each pool were transferred to minimalmedia minus leucine containing 2% galactose, and grown for 20 hours at30° C. Cells were then plated onto minimal complete media lackinguracil, tryptophan and leucine. Two days after plating, transformedSaccharomyces cerevisiae cells were harvested by adding 5 ml sterilewater to each plate, and gently scraping to resuspend the cells. PlasmidDNA was prepared to determine the frequency of each amino acid change inthe selected library.

Selection 3: 2×10⁸ cells from each pool were transferred to minimalmedia minus leucine containing 2% galactose, and grown for 20 hours at30° C. Cells were then plated onto minimal complete media lackinguracil, and leucine, and containing 0.5 g/L 5-fluoroanthranilic acid.Five days after plating, transformed Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells wereharvested by adding 5 ml sterile water to each plate, and gentlyscraping to resuspend the cells. Plasmid DNA was prepared to determinethe frequency of each amino acid change in the selected library.

Selections 1 and 2 identified cells in which the transposase hadprecisely excised the transposon from the uracil gene (so the cells areURA+) and re-integrated into another site in the genome (so the cellswere TRP+). Selection 3 identified cells in which the transposase hadprecisely excised the transposon from the uracil gene (so the cells wereURA+) but not re-integrated into another site in the genome (so thecells were TRP- and resistant to 5-fluoroanthranilic acid).

The mutated transposase genes from the naïve library and each of theselected libraries were sequenced using an Illumina HiSeq. Mutationfrequencies from the naïve library were compared with the frequencies inthe selected libraries. Mutations that were more highly represented inlibraries selected under conditions 1 or 2, compared with the naïvelibrary, were those that increase the transpositional activity of thetransposase. Mutations that were more highly represented in the libraryselected under condition 3, compared with the naïve library, were thosethat increase the excision activity of the transposase. Operability of aXenopus transposase can be shown by the ability of the transposase, whenfused to a heterologous NILS, to excise the transposon from within SEQID NO: 44, and, except in the case of an integration-deficienttransposase, to integrate the transposon into the genomic DNA of atarget cell.

Table 4 shows the amino acid substitutions that were represented atleast 2 times more frequently in the selected library than in the naïvelibrary. The data was processed as follows. Considering each amino acidchange independently, any amino acid substitution that occurred in thenaïve library less than once for each 200 substitutions observed at thatposition, was discarded from further consideration. Any amino acidsubstitution that was observed fewer than 100 times in the selectedlibrary was discarded from further consideration. The frequency of eachsubstitution in each selected library was then calculated relative tothe frequency that the substitution occurred in the naïve library.Substitutions that occurred at least twice as frequently in a libraryselected for transposition, compared with their frequency in the naïvelibrary are shown in Table 4 column C. Substitutions that occurred atleast twice as frequently in a library selected for excision, comparedwith their frequency in the naïve library are shown in Table 4 column D.

Some of the amino acid substitutions shown in Table 4 were selected forincorporation into variant Xenopus transposases to create hyperactivevariants. Initially, a set of 95 variants of transposase SEQ ID NO: 48were created by selecting 57 of the substitutions shown in Table 4, andincorporating 3 of these into each of 95 variants, such that the numberof possible pairs is maximized and each substitution occurs 5 times inthe set of variants. The transposases were cloned into a vectorcomprising a leucine selectable marker, so that the transposase variantswere operably linked to the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Gal-1 promoter.Each of these variants was then individually transformed into aSaccharomyces cerevisiae strain carrying a chromosomally integrated copyof SEQ ID NO: 44, as described above. The variants were induced withgalactose, grown for 4 hours, then aliquots were plated (a) on medialacking leucine, uracil and tryptophan (to count integration), (b) onmedia lacking leucine and uracil (to count excision) and (c) on medialacking leucine (to count total live cells). Two days later, colonieswere counted to determine transposition (=number of cells on-leu-ura-trp media divided by number of cells on -leu media) andexcision (=number of cells on -leu-ura media divided by number of cellson -leu media) frequencies.

Transposition frequencies were modelled as described in U.S. Pat. No.8,635,029, and mean values and standard deviations for the regressionweights were calculated for each substitution. Subsequent sets ofvariants were designed incorporating more than 3 substitutions relativeto the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 48. These variants combined two or moresubstitutions with regression weights greater than one standarddeviation above zero. The variants optionally also comprised one or moresubstitution selected from column C or D in Table 4. New variants weretested as described above to measure transposition and/or excisionfrequencies for the new variant transposases. Regression weights andstandard deviations for substitutions with a positive effect ontransposition activity are shown in Table 11 columns D and E.Transposition frequencies for some hyperactive Xenopus transposases areshown in Table 14 columns A and B. Frequencies were measured forexcision of the transposon from reporter SEQ ID NO: 44 and integrationof that transposon into the Saccharomyces cerevisiae genome, and areexpressed relative to the transposition frequencies measured for thenaturally occurring sequence SEQ ID NO: 48 under identical conditions.

Transposases with SEQ ID NOS: 51 and 403-406 were found to have excisionfrequencies that were at least 10-fold higher than their integrationfrequencies. Transposases in which the amino acid at position 218 waschanged from Asn to either Asp or Glu also showed much higher excisionthan integration frequencies. These integration-deficient transposasesare thus useful for removing integrated transposons from a host genome.

6.3.1.2 Hyperactive Xenopus Transposases in Mammalian Cells

The ability of several hyperactive Xenopus transposases to integratethree different transposon configurations into the CHO genome wastested. Transposon configurations are shown in Table 16.

Transposons (750 ng) were co-transfected with polynucleotides encodingXenopus transposases fused to a heterologous nuclear localizationsignal. Transposon and transposase nucleic acids were transfected into 1ml of suspension-adapted CHO cells. Cells were grown for 72 hourspost-transfection and then diluted to 250,000 cells per ml in 40 μg/mlpuromycin for 8 days. The puromycin was removed and cells were grown fora further 7 days. Expression of Dasher GFP was measured in a platefluorimeter (excitation at 485 nm and emission measured at 515 nm).

This selection is highly stringent: the puromycin acetyl transferasegene is operably linked with a weak promoter, and the cells were dilutedto low levels into high levels of puromycin. In all cases under thesestringent conditions, the absence of transposase (Table 16 rows 3, 6 and9) or co-transfection of Xenopus transposons with naturally occurringXenopus transposase SEQ ID NO: 48 (Table 16 rows 1, 4 and 7), resultedin essentially complete cell death and very low levels of DasherGFPexpression. In contrast co-transfection of Xenopus transposons withhyperactive Xenopus transposases SEQ ID NOs: 57, 58 and 61 resulted inpools with high levels of DasherGFP expression (Table 16 rows 2, 5 and8). It is thus advantageous to co-transfect mammalian cells with Xenopustransposons and hyperactive Xenopus transposases, including SEQ ID NOS:57, 58 and 61.

6.3.2 Hyperactive Bombyx Transposases

6.3.2.1 Identification of Hyperactive Bombyx Transposases

To identify Bombyx transposase mutations that led to either increasedtransposition activity, or increased excision activity, relative tonaturally occurring sequence SEQ ID NO: 407, we first created librariesthat together contained all possible single amino acid changes from SEQID NO: 407, fused to a heterologous nuclear localization sequence. To dothis, a gene encoding Bombyx transposase fused to a heterologous nuclearlocalization sequence (SEQ ID NO: 408) was mutagenized, cloned andsequenced as described for the Xenopus transposase in Section 6.3.2.1.

The cloned libraries were pooled and transformed into Saccharomycescerevisiae cells which were carrying a genomically integrated Bombyxtransposon selection cassette as described for the Xenopus transposasein Section 6.3.1.

The Bombyx transposon selection cassette (SEQ ID NO: 47) was asdescribed for the Xenopus cassette SEQ ID NO: 44 in Section 6.3.1,except that the Xenopus transposon ends SEQ ID NO 2 and 12 were replacedby Bombyx transposon end sequences SEQ ID NO 22 and 30 respectively.Operability of a Bombyx transposase can be shown by the ability of thetransposase, when fused to a heterologous NLS, to excise the transposonfrom within SEQ ID NO: 47, and, except in the case of anintegration-deficient transposase, to integrate the transposon into thegenomic DNA of a target cell.

The Bombyx transposase mutant libraries were selected, sequenced andprocessed, as described for the Xenopus transposase libraries in section6.3.1. Substitutions that occurred at least twice as frequently in aBombyx library selected for transposition, compared with their frequencyin the naïve library are shown in Table 4 column G. Substitutions thatoccurred at least twice as frequently in a Bombyx library selected forexcision, compared with their frequency in the naïve library are shownin Table 4 column H.

Some of the amino acid substitutions shown in Table 4 were selected forincorporation into Bombyx transposase SEQ ID NO: 407 to createhyperactive variants, as described for the Xenopus transposase inSection 6.3.1 but using a Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain carrying achromosomally integrated copy of SEQ ID NO: 47 in place of SEQ ID NO:44.

Subsequent sets of variants were designed incorporating more than 3substitutions relative to the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 407. These variantscombined two or more substitutions with regression weights greater thanone standard deviation above zero. The variants optionally alsocomprised one or more substitution selected from column G or H in Table4. New variants were tested as described above to measure transpositionand/or excision frequencies for the new variant transposases. Theregression weights and standard deviations for substitutions with apositive effect on transposition activity are shown in Table 11 columnsI and J. Transposition frequencies for different hyperactive Bombyxtransposases are shown in Table 14 columns C and D. Frequencies weremeasured for excision of the transposon from reporter SEQ ID NO: 47 andintegration of that transposon into the Saccharomyces cerevisiae genome,and are expressed relative to the frequencies for the naturallyoccurring sequence SEQ ID NO: 407 under identical conditions.

6.3.2.2 Hyperactive Bombyx Transposases in Mammalian Cells

The ability of several hyperactive Bombyx transposases to integrate fourdifferent transposon configurations into the CHO genome was tested.Transposon configurations are shown in Table 15. Transposon 194094comprised a PGK promoter (SEQ ID NO: 937) operably linked to a puromycinacetyl transferase gene and a CMV promoter operably linked to a geneencoding Dasher GFP. Transposon 240671 was the same as 194094, exceptthat the transposon end sequences were different, as shown in Table 15.Transposon 246143 was the same as 240671, except that the PGK promoterwas replaced with the HSV-TK promoter SEQ ID NO: 942. Transposon 246170was similar to 246143, but it had the EF1a promoter operably linked tothe gene encoding Dasher GFP, it is also flanked by insulator sequences(HS4 insulator SEQ ID NO: 864 on one side and D4Z4 insulator SEQ ID NO:860 on the other.

Transposons (750 ng) were co-transfected with polynucleotides encoding atransposase with SEQ ID NO shown in column K, fused to a heterologousnuclear localization signal. Transposon and transposase nucleic acidswere transfected into 1 ml of suspension-adapted CHO cells. Cells weregrown for 72 hours post-transfection and then diluted to 1,000,000 cellsper ml in 40 μg/ml puromycin for 7 days. The puromycin was removed andcells were grown for a further 7 days. Expression of Dasher GFP wasmeasured in a plate fluorimeter (excitation at 485 nm and emissionmeasured at 515 nm) (Table 15 columns O-Q). An estimate of live cellnumbers was made by measuring absorbance at 600 nm (A₆₀₀) (Table 15columns L-N).

In all cases, the absence of transposase resulted in very low levels ofDasherGFP expression, and very low A₆₀₀ indicating a lack of expressionof puromycin acetyl transferase and cell survival (rows 8, 16, 24 and32). All transposases resulted in comparable levels of cell survival forcells co-transfected with transposons 194094 and 240671 (compare Table15 columns L, M and N for rows 1-7 and 9-15). However, the hyperactivetransposases resulted in significantly increased levels of DasherGFPexpression (compare Table 15 columns O, P and Q for rows 1-7 and 9-15).It is thus advantageous to co-transfect mammalian cells with Bombyxtransposons and hyperactive Bombyx transposases, including SEQ ID NOS:1098, 412, 457 and 415-417.

Cells transfected with transposon 246143 all died under the selectionconditions used, regardless of which transposase was co-transfected(Table 15 columns L, M, N, O, P and Q for rows 17-24). However, cellstransfected with transposon 246170 and co-transfected with hyperactiveBombyx transposases, SEQ ID NOS: 1098, 412 and 415-417, all resulted incells with Dasher GFP fluorescence. No cells survived when thistransposon was co-transfected with the naturally occurring Bombyxtransposase (SEQ ID NO: 407). Hyperactive Bombyx transposases, SEQ IDNOS: 412 and 415 were particularly advantageous in combination with thistransposon configuration.

Transposon configuration, selection stringency and transposase activityare interdependent in determining the expression level that results fromthe subsequently integrated transposon. The promoter that is operablylinked to an expression polypeptide (in this example DasherGFP) can alsomodify the strength of the promoter that is operably linked to theselectable marker and. As described in Section 5.2.10, a strong promoteroperably linked to the resistance marker (as in transposon 240671) willprovide the least stringent selection, while a weak promoter operablylinked to the resistance marker (as in transposon 246143) will provide amore stringent selection, particularly in combination with aninterfering promoter operably linked with the expression polypeptide.

The benefit of a more stringent selection coupled with a hyperactivetransposase is shown here. Hyperactive Bombyx transposase SEQ ID NOS:412 and 415 each produced a pool of cells with substantially higherexpression of the expression polypeptide from transposon 246170 than wasachieved from transposons with the stronger promoter associated with theselectable marker (compare row 9 column O with row 25 column O and row26 column Q). Furthermore, the productivity of the cells from the morestringently selected transposon (expression divided by number of livecells, which is approximately proportional to fluorescence divided byA₆₀₀) is about 10-fold higher than for the less stringently selectedtransposon.

Although the relative integration frequencies of hyperactivetransposases shown in Table 14 give a quantitative comparison oftransposase activity, increased transposase activity alone is notsufficient to guarantee increase expression resulting from transposonsintegrated into a target cell genome. As shown in this example, thetransposon configuration and the selection stringency are both factorsthat influence expression of an expression polynucleotide. In particularthe gene encoding the selectable marker, the promoter (and otherregulatory elements) operably linked to the selectable marker, thepromoter operably linked to the gene encoding the expression polypeptideand any insulator elements present are important determinants ofexpression from a gene transfer polynucleotide. Particularlyadvantageous gene transfer polynucleotides comprise a sequence that isat least 95% identical to a sequence selected from SEQ ID NOS: 751-819.Preferably these sequences are within a transposon.

The data shown in Table 15 shows only the average fluorescence within apool of cells. These pools were derived from many independentlytransfected cells. Each of these will give rise to a differenttransposon integration pattern (number of transposons integrated andposition of each of these transposons within the target cell genome).Individual lines can be isolated from a pool of cells like this, andsome of these often have substantially higher productivities than thepool.

6.4 IRES Elements 6.4.1 Expression Levels of Two Polypeptides Using IRESElements in HEK293 and CHO Cells

A gene transfer system comprising genes encoding two polypeptides mayoperably link both polypeptides to the same promoter, for example usingan IRES.

Table 9 shows the expression levels observed in HEK and CHO cells fortwo different polypeptides (in this case two different fluorescentproteins, DasherGFP and CayenneRFP) encoded on a single gene transferpolynucleotide. The genes for the two different proteins were operablylinked to a single enhancer, promoter, polyadenylation signal andoptionally an intron. Expression of the two genes was operably linked byan IRES element, as indicated in column A, with the order of elementsbeing DasherGFP-IRES-CayenneRFP.

HEK 293a cells (from ATCC) were grown in EMEM (from ATCC)+10% FBS (fromATCC)+1% Penicillin-streptomycin (from ATCC) at 37° C., 5% CO₂ to 80%confluence, 1E+05 cells were plated in 24-well tissue culture plates andincubated at 37° C., 5% CO₂ for 24 hours prior to transfection,transfections were set up in triplicates. Each transfection used 0.5 μgDNA with Lipofectamine 2000 as per manufacturer's protocol. Cells wereharvested 72 hours post transfection. CHO-K1 cells (from ATCC) weregrown in F12-K (from ATCC)+10% FBS (from ATCC)+1%Penicillin-streptomycin (from ATCC) at 37° C., 5% CO₂ to 80% confluence.5E+05 cells were plated in 24-well tissue culture plates and incubatedat 37° C., 5% CO₂ for 24 hours prior to transfection, transfections wereset up in triplicates. Each transfection used 0.5 μg DNA withLipofectamine 2000 as per manufacturer's protocol. Cells were harvested72 hours post transfection. Fluorescence of the two ORFs encodingfluorescent reporters DasherGFP and CayenneRFP was measured at Ex/Em of488/518 nm for DasherGFP and Ex/Em of 525/580 nm for CayenneRFP.

A gene transfer polynucleotide comprising the two proteinstranslationally coupled by a CHYSEL sequence expresses the two proteinsat an equimolar ratio and was used to normalize for differentfluorescent intensities of the proteins. Table 9 shows that differentIRES elements can be used to obtain different ratios of expressionbetween two different polynucleotides. The use of IRES elements isparticularly advantageous for expression of polypeptides when the ratioof expression is important at the level of individual cells, for examplein the expression of antibodies where the light chain may perform achaperonin function for the heavy chain. It is sometimes advantageous toexpress as great a ratio as possible between two polypeptides, forexample in the case when one polypeptide is a selectable marker.

We have identified IRES elements that show different levels of activityas seen from the varying expression levels for the two open readingframes (ORFs) linked by an IRES element shown in Table 9. A choice ofIRES elements with varying activities allows the appropriate IRESelement to be used for controlling the relative expression levels of twoORFs. We have shown use of one IRES element linking two transcriptsoperably linked to one promoter. Use of two or more IRES elementslinking three or more ORFs is expressly contemplated and is anotheraspect of the invention. Expression constructs with two or more IRESelements selected such that expression levels of two or more ORFs isselectively modulated is expressly contemplated and is an importantaspect of the invention. The identified IRES elements of the inventionwork well in both transient and stable integration vectors in the twocell lines tested, Human embryonic kidney (HEK293) cells and Chinesehamster ovary (CHO) cells. Preferred embodiments of a gene transferpolynucleotide include all IRES elements shown in Table 9.

6.5 Transposase Activity in Yeast 6.5.1 Transposons in Pichia Pastoris

To integrate a polynucleotide into the genome of Pichia pastoris, it isgenerally necessary to linearize a gene transfer construct prior totransformation. It is advantageous if the ends of the linear genetransfer construct are homologous to neighboring sequences in the Pichiapastoris genome, so that the construct may be integrated into thechromosome by homologous recombination. Such gene transfer constructsgenerally comprise a gene encoding a selectable marker (for exampleresistance to zeocin (e.g. SEQ ID NO: 702), nourseothricin (e.g. SEQ IDNO: 701) or geneticin (e.g. SEQ ID NO: 706). High levels of expressionmay be obtained by exposing cells to high levels of the correspondingselection agent, which results in amplification of the gene. Theamplification is usually achieved by tandem duplication of the gene,which is an inherently unstable arrangement. Because transposonsintegrate almost randomly throughout the target genome, they offer theadvantage of high expression resulting from multiple inserted copies,while improving stability because the copies are distributed throughoutthe genome.

Three transposons were constructed for modifying the genome of Pichiapastoris, and comprised transposon ends SEQ ID NOs: 2 and 12 flanking aheterologous polynucleotide. The heterologous polynucleotide comprisedan AOX promoter (SEQ ID NO: 953) operably linked to a gene encodingDasher GFP (SEQ ID NO: 42), and an ILVS promoter (SEQ ID NO: 955)operably linked to a gene encoding zeocin resistance (SEQ ID NO: 702).One of these transposons (251587) was carried on a plasmid thatcomprised the GAP promoter SEQ ID NO: 949 operably linked to a geneencoding Xenopus transposase SEQ ID NO: 118; a second transposon(251588) was carried on a plasmid that comprised the TEF promoter SEQ IDNO: 954 operably linked to a gene encoding Xenopus transposase SEQ IDNO: 118; a third transposon (251589) was carried on a plasmid with notransposase. All transposases were part of the non-transposable portionof the plasmid.

The three transposons were transformed as supercoiled circular DNA intocompetent Pichia pastoris cells by electroporation (using a Bio-Rad E.coli Pulser in cuvettes with a 0.2 cm gap, and 1.5 kV). In addition,transposon 251589 (whose plasmid lacked a transposase entirely) waselectroporated after linearization with PmeI, which cuts within the AOXpromoter. After electroporation the cells were grown in non-selectivemedia (900 μl YPD broth plus 1M sorbitol) for 5 or 24 hours at 30° C.,before 100 μl culture was plated onto 200 μg/ml zeocin and platesincubated at 30° C. for 48 hours. The number of zeocin resistantcolonies on each plate were counted, and are shown in Table 10 (columnsE and F).

Without linearization, very few colonies were formed in the absence of atransposase (rows 9-11). By contrast, linearization prior toelectroporation resulted in approximately 1,000 colonies from 100 μlculture (row 12). Similarly, the expression of Xenopus transposase SEQID NO: 118, either transcribed from the GAP promoter (rows 3-5) or theTEF promoter (rows 6-8) resulted in tens to hundreds of colonies.Xenopus transposons and transposases are thus useful for integratinggene transfer constructs into the genome of the yeast Pichia pastoris.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF TABLES

Table 1. Integration of Transposons Catalyzed by Modified Transposaseswith or without Heterologous Nuclear Localization Signals.

Transposons and transposases were transfected into CHO-K1 cells andselected as described in Example 6.1.1. Fluorescence was measured byscraping cells and placing in a fluorimeter. Fluorescent readingsobtained in independent triplicate transfections are shown in columnsJ-L. Columns A, B and F refer to SEQ ID NOs.

Table 2. Integration of Transposons with Modified Transposon Ends.

Transposons and transposases were transfected into CHO-K1 cells andselected as described in Example 6.1.2.1. Fluorescence was measured byscraping cells and placing in a fluorimeter. Fluorescent readingsobtained in independent triplicate transfections are shown in columnsJ-L. Columns A, B and G refer to SEQ ID NOs.

Table 3. Integration of Transposons with Modified Transposon Ends.

Transposons and transposases were transfected into CHO-K1 cells andselected as described in Example 6.1.2.2. Fluorescence was measured byscraping cells and placing in a fluorimeter. Fluorescent readingsobtained in independent triplicate transfections are shown in columnsJ-L. Columns A, B and G refer to SEQ ID NOs.

Table 4. Substitutions in Transposases Associated with Hyperactivity.

Mutant Xenopus and Bombyx transposases were produced, selected andsequenced as described in Examples 6.3.1.1 and 6.3.2.1. Positionsrelative to Xenopus transposase SEQ ID NO: 48 are shown in column A; thenaturally occurring amino acid is in column B; substitutions thatoccurred at least twice as frequently in a Xenopus library selected fortransposition, compared with their frequency in the naïve library areshown in column C; substitutions that occurred at least twice asfrequently in aXenopus library selected for excision, compared withtheir frequency in the naïve library are shown in column D. Positionsrelative to Bombyx transposase SEQ ID NO: 407 are shown in column E; thenaturally occurring amino acid is in column F; substitutions thatoccurred at least twice as frequently in a Bombyx library selected fortransposition, compared with their frequency in the naïve library areshown in column G; substitutions that occurred at least twice asfrequently in a Bombyx library selected for excision, compared withtheir frequency in the naïve library are shown in column H. Positions inthe two transposases sharing a line in the table do not correspond to asequence alignment between the two proteins.

Table 5. Integration of Transposons Using Transposase mRNA.

Transposons and transposases were transfected into CHO-K1 cells andselected as described in Example 6.1.3.1. Fluorescence was measured byscraping cells and placing in a fluorimeter. Fluorescent readingsobtained in independent triplicate transfections are shown in columnsJ-L. Columns A, B and E refer to SEQ ID NOs.

Table 6. Integration of Transposons Using Transposase mRNA.

Transposons and transposases were transfected into CHO-K1 cells andselected as described in Example 6.1.3.3. Fluorescence was measured byscraping cells and placing in a fluorimeter. Fluorescent readingsobtained in independent triplicate transfections are shown in columnsJ-L. Columns A, B, C and F refer to SEQ ID NOs.

Table 7. Integration of Xenopus-Derived Transposons for Expression ofTwo Polypeptides.

Transposons comprised 5′-TTAA-3′ target sequences, transposon endsequences SEQ ID NO: 2 and SEQ ID NO: 12, and the EF1a promoter andintron operably linked to a gene encoding DasherGFP (rows 2-23) orCayenneRFP (row 1). For rows 3-7, vectors further comprised a geneencoding CayenneRFP operably linked to the expression control elementsby a translational-coupling sequence (SEQ ID NO given in column A). Forrows 8-23, vectors further comprised a gene encoding Cayenne RFPoperably linked to a second enhancer (column I), a second promoter(column J), a second intron (column K) and a second polyadenylationsignal (column L). Optionally an insulator sequence was interposedbetween the first polyadenylation signal and the second enhancer (columnH). The transposons comprised a sequence whose SEQ ID NO is given incolumn A between the two ORFs. Transposons were transfected intriplicate independent transfections into CHO cells together with a geneencoding a transposase (SEQ ID NO. 48) fused to a heterologous nuclearlocalization signal. Cells were selected and expression of thefluorescent proteins measured (columns M and N show the averages of 3measurements for each fluorescent protein) as described in Example6.2.1.

Table 8. Integration of Xenopus-Derived Transposons for Expression ofTwo Polypeptides.

Transposons comprised 5′-TTAA-3′ target sequences, transposon endsequences SEQ ID NO: 2 and 12, and an enhancer (column F), promoter(column G) and intron (column H) operably linked to a gene encodingDasherGFP. For rows 3-6, vectors further comprised a gene encodingCayenneRFP operably linked to the expression control elements by atranslational-coupling sequence (sequences identified in column A). Forrows 7-18, vectors further comprised a gene encoding Cayenne RFPoperably linked to a second enhancer (column K), a second promoter(column L) and a second intron (column M). Polyadenylation signals werelinked to the first (column I) and second (column N) open readingframes. Optionally an insulator sequence was interposed between thefirst polyadenylation signal and the second enhancer (column J).Transposons comprised a sequence whose SEQ ID NO is given in column Abetween the two ORFs. Transposons were transfected into CHO cells,optionally (as indicated in column O) together with a gene encoding atransposase (SEQ ID NO: 48) fused to a heterologous nuclear localizationsignal; cells were selected and expression of the fluorescent proteinsmeasured (columns P-U) as described in Example 6.2.2. Rows 1-2 and 19-20show the transfection of constructs encoding only GFP (rows 1-2) or RFP(rows 19-20). Rows 21 and 22 shows the co-transfection of the constructsshown in rows 1 and 19. Details are given in Section 6.2.2.

Table 9. Expression from Gene Transfer Systems Comprising Genes EncodingTwo Polypeptides Linked by IRES Translational Coupling Elements (5).

Gene transfer polynucleotide s comprised an enhancer), promoter, intronand polyadenylation signal operably linked to a gene encoding DasherGFP,an IRES element and a gene encoding CayenneRFP. IRES element SEQ ID NOsare given in column A). Vectors were transfected into HEK or CHO cellsand expression of the fluorescent proteins measured as described inExample 6.4.1. The relative fluorescence of the two proteins is shown incolumn B (HEK) or F (CHO). The relative expression level of theCayenneRFP to DasherGFP was calculated by correcting for the relativefluorescence levels of the two proteins (CayenneRFP only yields 0.3× thesignal of DasherGFP for the same protein level). This is the IRESefficiency shown in column C (HEK) or G (CHO). The expression level ofthe DasherGFP in the IRES construct was compared with the expression ofDasherGFP from a construct lacking an IRES and CayenneRFP and is shownas % GFP shown in column D (HEK) or H (CHO). The number of independentexperiments measuring expression of each IRES in each system is shown incolumn E (HEK) or I (CHO).

Table 10. Xenopus Transposons in Pichia pastoris

Three transposons (column B) were constructed for modifying the genomeof Pichia pastoris, and comprised 5′-TTAA-3′ target sequences andtransposon end SEQ ID Nos: 2 and 12 flanking a heterologouspolynucleotide as described in Section 6.5.1. Plasmids in rows 3-8 alsocomprised a promoter (whose SEQ ID NO is given in column D) operablylinked to a gene encoding Xenopus transposase SEQ ID NO: 118 on anon-transposable portion of the plasmid. Different amounts (column D) ofthe three transposons were transformed into competent Pichia pastoriscells, grown and plated as described in Section 6.5.1. The number ofzeocin resistant colonies on each plate were counted after the cellswere grown in non-selective media (900 μl YPD broth plus 1M sorbitol)for 5 (column E) or 24 hours (column F) at 30° C.

Table 11. Substitutions Conferring Hyperactivity on Xenopus Transposase.

Transposase variants were created, transposition frequencies weremeasured and the effect of amino acid substitutions on transpositionfrequencies were modelled as described in Sections 6.3.1 and 6.3.2.Column A shows the position of substitutions in the Xenopus transposasenumbering from the beginning of SEQ ID NO: 48, column B shows theidentity of that amino acid in SEQ ID NO: 48, column C shows theidentity of an amino acid substitution that confers hyperactivity on thetransposase, column D shows the mean regression weight of thatsubstitution and column E shows the standard deviation of the regressionweight. Column F shows the position of substitutions in the Bombyxtransposase numbering from the beginning of SEQ ID NO: 407, column Gshows the identity of that amino acid in SEQ ID NO: 407, column H showsthe identity of an amino acid substitution that confers hyperactivity onthe transposase, column I shows the mean regression weight of thatsubstitution and column J shows the standard deviation of the regressionweight.

Table 12. Hyperactive Xenopus Transposase Active as mRNA in CHO Cells.

Transposons were co-transfected into CHO cells with either plasmid DNA(row 2) or mRNA (rows 3-14) encoding a Xenopus transposase (with SEQ IDNO shown in column C) fused to a heterologous nuclear localizationsignal. Amounts of transposon and transposase nucleic acid transfectedinto 1 ml of CHO cells are shown in columns E and F. Transfection,growth and selection were as described in Section 6.1.3.3. Expression ofDasher GFP was measured in a plate fluorimeter. Row 15 shows a no DNAcontrol. Columns H and I show fluorescence from duplicate samples 3 dayspost-transfection but before selection, columns J and K showfluorescence from duplicate samples immediately following a 10-dayselection, columns L and M show fluorescence from duplicate samples 5days post-selection.

Table 13. Hyperactive Xenopus and Bombyx Transposases Active as mRNA inCHO Cells.

Transposons comprised transposon end sequences with SEQ ID NOs given incolumns B and C flanked by target sequences indicated in column D. Thetransposons further comprised a CMV enhancer and CMV promoter operablylinked to a gene encoding DasherGFP, and a gene encoding puromycinacetyl transferase operably linked to a promoter with SEQ ID NO shown incolumn F. Transposons (750 ng) were co-transfected with 250 ng mRNAencoding a transposase with SEQ ID NO shown in column G, fused to aheterologous nuclear localization signal. Transfection, growth andselection were as described in Section 6.1.3.4. Expression of Dasher GFPwas measured in a plate fluorimeter. Row 16 shows a no DNA control.Columns H, I and J show fluorescence from triplicate samples.

Table 14. Relative Transposition Frequencies for HyperactiveTransposases.

Transposase variants were created and transposition frequencies measuredin Saccharomyces cerevisiae as described in Section 6.3.1 and 6.3.2.Column A shows the SEQ ID NO of hyperactive Xenopus transposases, columnB shows the transposition frequency of the hyperactive transposase inSaccharomyces cerevisiae, relative to the frequency for the naturallyoccurring sequence SEQ ID NO: 48 under identical conditions. Column Cshows the SEQ ID NO of hyperactive Bombyx transposases, column D showsthe transposition frequency of the hyperactive transposase inSaccharomyces cerevisiae, relative to the frequency for the naturallyoccurring sequence SEQ ID NO: 407 under identical conditions.

Table 15. Hyperactive Bombyx Transposases Active in CHO Cells.

Transposons comprised transposon end sequences with SEQ ID NOs given incolumns B and C, flanked by target sequences given in column D. Thetransposons further comprised a promoter (column F) operably linked to agene encoding DasherGFP, and a gene encoding puromycin acetyltransferase operably linked to a promoter with SEQ ID NO shown in columnE. Transposons (750 ng) were co-transfected with 250 ng mRNA (column I)or DNA (column J) encoding a transposase with SEQ ID NO shown in columnK, fused to a heterologous nuclear localization signal. Columns L, M andN show the absorbance at 600 nm for triplicate samples. Columns O, P andQ show the DasherGFP fluorescence from the corresponding samples.Experimental details are as given in Section 6.3.2.2.

Table 16. Hyperactive Xenopus Transposases Active in CHO Cells.

Transposons comprised insulator sequences with SEQ ID NOs shown incolumns D and E, inside transposon end sequences SEQ ID NO: 2 and 12,flanked by 5′-TTAA-3′ target sequences. The transposons furthercomprised a promoter (column C) operably linked to a gene encodingDasherGFP, and a gene encoding puromycin acetyl transferase operablylinked to a promoter with SEQ ID NO shown in column B. Transposons (750ng) were co-transfected with 250 ng DNA encoding a transposase with SEQID NO shown in column F, fused to a heterologous nuclear localizationsignal. Columns G, H and I show the DasherGFP fluorescence fromtriplicate independent transfections of the corresponding samples.Experimental details are as given in Section 6.3.1.2.

7. REFERENCES

All references cited herein are incorporated herein by reference intheir entirety and for all purposes to the same extent as if eachindividual publication or patent or patent application was specificallyand individually indicated to be incorporated by reference in itsentirety for all purposes.

Many modifications and variations of this invention can be made withoutdeparting from its spirit and scope, as will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art. The specific embodiments described herein areoffered by way of example only, and the invention is to be limited onlyby the terms of the appended claims, along with the full scope ofequivalents to which such claims are entitled.

TABLES 1 A B E F H I 1 left right C D dna transposase G dna Confluence JK L 2 SEQ* SEQ* Int Seq system (ng) SEQ* nls (ng) (0-100%) GFP1 GFP2GFP3 3 35 36 5′-TTAA-3′ piggyBac 500 none N/A 0 0 5 5 2 4 35 365′-TTAA-3′ piggyBac 500 698  no 160 100 707 677 659 5 1 11 5′-TTAA-3′Xenopus 500 none N/A 0 0 4 3 3 6 1 11 5′-TTAA-3′ Xenopus 500 49 yes 160100 886 890 779 7 1 11 5′-TTAA-3′ Xenopus 500 49 no 160 15 104 105 109 81 11 5′-TTAA-3′ Xenopus 500 48 yes 160 100 828 904 803 9 1 11 5′-TTAA-3′Xenopus 500 48 no 160 5 47 45 55 10 3 12 5′-TTAA-3′ Xenopus 500 none N/A0 0 5 5 6 11 3 12 5′-TTAA-3′ Xenopus 500 49 yes 160 100 918 858 820 12 312 5′-TTAA-3′ Xenopus 500 49 no 160 10 27 25 26 13 3 12 5′-TTAA-3′Xenopus 500 48 yes 160 100 953 933 921 14 3 12 5′-TTAA-3′ Xenopus 500 48no 160 10 73 76 65 15 23 29 5′-TTAT-3′ Bombyx 500 none N/A 0 0 2 4 4 1623 29 5′-TTAT-3′ Bombyx 500 750  yes 160 0 11 8 8 17 23 29 5′-TTAT-3′Bombyx 500 750  no 160 0 2 4 4 18 23 29 5′-TTAT-3′ Bombyx 500 407  yes160 100 1042 1089 1099 19 23 29 5′-TTAT-3′ Bombyx 500 407  no 160 100972 1046 960 *SEQ ID NO.

TABLE 2 A B F G I left right C D E dna transposase H dna J K L 1 SEQ*SEQ* Int Seq transposon system (ng) SEQ* nls (ng) GFP1 GFP2 GFP3 2 23 295′-TTAT-3′ 192465 Bombyx 500 no N/A 0 6 6 6 3 23 29 5′-TTAT-3′ 192465Bombyx 500 407 yes 160 817 788 705 4 24 29 5′-TTAT-3′ 214228 Bombyx 500no N/A 0 5 4 4 5 24 29 5′-TTAT-3′ 214228 Bombyx 500 407 yes 160 600 591602 6 25 29 5′-TTAT-3′ 214229 Bombyx 500 no N/A 0 5 5 4 7 25 295′-TTAT-3′ 214229 Bombyx 500 407 yes 160 103 119 127 8 23 31 5′-TTAT-3′214230 Bombyx 500 no N/A 0 5 4 5 9 23 31 5′-TTAT-3′ 214230 Bombyx 500407 yes 160 13 12 11 10 22 30 5′-TTAA-3′ 214404 Bombyx 500 no N/A 0 5 55 11 22 30 5′-TTAA-3′ 214404 Bombyx 500 407 yes 160 1035 994 983 12 2230 5′-TTAA-3′ 214404 Bombyx 500 750 yes 160 4 4 3 13 3 12 5′-TTAA-3′192462 Xenopus 500 no N/A 0 4 3 4 14 3 12 5′-TTAA-3′ 192462 Xenopus 500 48 yes 160 1048 994 977 15 4 12 5′-TTAA-3′ 214231 Xenopus 500 no N/A 04 5 4 16 4 12 5′-TTAA-3′ 214231 Xenopus 500  48 yes 160 1346 1278 126917 5 12 5′-TTAA-3′ 217099 Xenopus 500 no N/A 0 4 3 3 18 5 12 5′-TTAA-3′217099 Xenopus 500  48 yes 160 964 872 901 19 3 13 5′-TTAA-3′ 214233Xenopus 500 no N/A 0 5 4 6 20 3 13 5′-TTAA-3′ 214233 Xenopus 500  48 yes160 1075 1014 1035 21 8 14 5′-TTAT-3′ 214406 Xenopus 500 no N/A 0 4 3 422 8 14 5′-TTAT-3′ 214406 Xenopus 500  48 yes 160 1205 1083 1058 23 3536 5′-TTAA-3′ 136214 piggyBac 500 no N/A 0 4 4 5 24 35 36 5′-TTAA-3′136214 piggyBac 500 698 no 160 610 558 577 25 37 38 5′-TTAT-3′ 214405piggyBac 500 no N/A 0 4 3 3 26 37 38 5′-TTAT-3′ 214405 piggyBac 500 698no 160 485 464 451 27 N/A N/A N/A none negative 0 no N/A 0 4 5 5 *SEQ IDNO.

TABLE 3 A B F G I left right C D E dna transposase H dna J K L 1 SEQ*SEQ* Int Seq reporter transposon (ng) SEQ* nls (ng) GFP1 GFP2 GFP3 2 111 5′-TTAA-3′ RC3 223949 500 no N/A 0 3 4 3 3 1 11 5′-TTAA-3′ RC3 223949500 48 yes 160 1157 1169 1095 4 6 11 5′-TTAA-3′ RC3 223950 500 no N/A 03 3 4 5 6 11 5′-TTAA-3′ RC3 223950 500 48 yes 160 788 930 887 6 7 115′-TTAA-3′ RC3 223953 500 no N/A 0 3 4 3 7 7 11 5′-TTAA-3′ RC3 223953500 48 yes 160 965 957 918 8 1 15 5′-TTAA-3′ RC3 223951 500 no N/A 0 4 44 9 1 15 5′-TTAA-3′ RC3 223951 500 48 yes 160 1118 1136 1139 10 1 165′-TTAA-3′ RC3 223952 500 no N/A 0 4 4 3 11 1 16 5′-TTAA-3′ RC3 223952500 48 yes 160 849 889 863 12 35 36 5′-TTAA-3′ RC1 136214 500 no N/A 0 33 4 13 35 36 5′-TTAA-3′ RC1 136214 500 698  no 160 536 555 572 14 N/AN/A N/A none none 0 no N/A 0 3 3 3 *SEQ ID NO.

TABLE 4 Xenopus Transposase Bombyx Transposase A B C D E F G H PositionWT Transposition Excision Position WT Transposition Excision 2 A RHLGKRPWIMNTEH 4 E T -n/a- 3 K VM QLGWCA 9 R n/a P 4 R MCPK AIEM 12 A TPYQH 5 F CNQR CTHPVYEGN 13 M P GQN 6 Y LHVICGASF RPDLNHVIC 14 L T -n/a-7 S GV DG 15 E G -n/a- 8 A -n/a- ED 20 D G HWPQFGKV 9 E -n/a- WD 21 Y-n/a- K 10 E -n/a- AIVNPDM 23 D -n/a- HPKS 11 A DV CD 24 E C YPT 12 A-n/a- YD 25 S TKML YGKQL 13 A P TPK 26 S R FMWPYCTKA 14 H -n/a- PTG 27 SN NCYAGHPLMT 15 C GI AGVDRLYI 28 E -n/a- AYCNIHPL 16 M ENDSQTA ELHFINDS30 E -n/a- HGW 17 A SYVLMT ESYVQL 32 D KQW INQGWFSYL 18 S CYMLQGPAWHKICYMVLQG 33 H S EGDK 19 S CVLFKEDGMAMPYRT CVLFQKEDG 36 E Q K 20 SGMLVHWACQDFN RGMLVHWACQD 37 H -n/a- WSDIQG 21 E NWGQLDAPTSYV NWFGQLDM 39V -n/a- A 22 E CHRLKSGMVQAYW CHRLKSDGMVQT 41 Y -n/a- SM 23 FQADWKTVMNPHECR QADYWKTVMNP 42 D -n/a- V 24 S LWHVPIFKYDCNQLWHGAVPIFKYDCN 43 T -n/a- YKIW 25 G N N 44 E CPAQ ATNQHMDFIVL 26 S FHVFQHYWV 45 E SM KPCF 27 D LV L 46 E P APY 28 S K YCMLHTQ 47 R -n/a- KM 29E L LK 48 I A -n/a- 31 V -n/a- LTIQK 49 D K Y 32 P -n/a- SAV 50 5 -n/a-A 33 P -n/a- VHS 55 S -n/a- A 34 A -n/a- LE 58 R M -n/a- 35 S -n/a- ELM62 A K RWCV 36 E -n/a- SVD 63 N T ETAW 37 S -n/a- DC 64 A P HTMV 38 D-n/a- FNA 65 I GQ -n/a- 39 S -n/a- VT 66 I E PWFT 40 S -n/a- T 67 A-n/a- DS 41 T -n/a- M 68 N GHQ SPGVC 42 E KN KNPAS 69 E WQHTMPDLVQPHTDVC 43 E P QCWKGA 70 S -n/a- D 44 S MEQ WLM 71 D KLMCNV KMNLY 45 W-n/a- LCVSPK 72 S FT ETPDH 46 C EQTLHP MI 73 P -n/a- AHYECV 47 S NC FAN74 P -n/a- VL 48 S VA VKWA 75 D -n/a- HAW 49 S G YLPVKTMDE 76 D AQGVWSCSAH 50 T DR ANSK 77 D -n/a- TY 51 V QKYM TFH 78 I -n/a- 1 52 S AT VAKPF79 P KG -n/a- 53 A YV EQYK 81 S -n/a- Q 54 L VPCE IANV 83 V -n/a- WQDF55 E HPK S 84 R NKHYW ENHYTW 56 E V LPYGQW 85 Q EMKHN TEKFLH 57 P VHTQKVSA 87 A MNKHYIC MNF 58 M IVPAKFL DIRVHN 88 S IY MV 59 E YAH MDN 89 A-n/a- KMYC 60 V -n/a- EQ 90 S -n/a- AD 62 E SCWVITLQFKG -n/a- 91 R -n/a-A 63 D TQP -n/a- 92 Q EAPNIYHFRDMWCGLV ADYNRGMFWHTVCPL 64 V IMQSKHFLTC-n/a- 93 V PKMFWL AIPQWFM 65 D MVPLKE -n/a- 94 S EKTHCL KEIHYC 66 DGEAFW -n/a- 95 G EAQTKNMHDFLC ATD 67 L ATMVCHEY -n/a- 96 P ATMRGVEQEARCV 68 E SMYAPNVLQHD -n/a- 97 F QKHTCWVEPDARG NADKTHRGYC 69 DRAPMLHVSW -n/a- 98 Y Q QF 70 Q CLTNSGH -n/a- 99 T N DA 71 E PYMRWLF-n/a- 102 D -n/a- W 72 A EMTYQIGVFNKLCR -n/a- 103 G -n/a- QM 73 GHNKFVDSWL -n/a- 107 Y -n/a- M 74 D T -n/a- 108 K -n/a- S 75 R WCLMQ-n/a- 117 L -n/a- I 76 A LREIV -n/a- 122 I -n/a- K 77 D QYLT -n/a- 128 Q-n/a- H 78 A QVGRC -n/a- 132 I -n/a- HDN 79 A FVR -n/a- 135 D -n/a- FM80 A LY -n/a- 137 S -n/a- HIC 81 G STKV -n/a- 139 E -n/a- P 82 G SLQWE-n/a- 140 Y -n/a- WQM 83 E FCHRDVN -n/a- 145 I A RCAM 84 P SFGNVW -n/a-149 S EHPQADT EQCAMKP 85 A MCR -n/a- 150 D PEQ E 86 W G -n/a- 152 L GR-n/a- 87 G L -n/a- 153 Q -n/a- HM 88 P AENHDL -n/a- 154 E Q DA 89 P HM-n/a- 157 T Q YCFE 90 C KDGNWVQTML -n/a- 160 N H -n/a- 91 N RALHV -n/a-161 S N KN 92 F YRGA -n/a- 162 S QWE WCE 93 P K -n/a- 164 R -n/a- Q 95 EQVNL -n/a- 165 H EGQTMVL CNDMKLQVWEA 96 I TW -n/a- 166 R CV CT 97 P HV-n/a- 167 Q -n/a- K 98 P R -n/a- 168 T YSWCNMGFALV IYMCWELKG 99 F SY-n/a- 169 K HPSWGCMV HWTCEMLSV 100 T VL -n/a- 170 T HNG GQ 101 T GFSVL-n/a- 171 A TG NYK 103 P RV -n/a- 172 A -n/a- CQ 104 G E -n/a- 173 E QPAHQCLM 105 V F -n/a- 174 N -n/a- R 106 K RGME -n/a- 175 S NKG KG 107 V SR-n/a- 176 S HT HKT 108 D TH -n/a- 177 A -n/a- IYCWMFVG 109 T IV -n/a-178 E SHYFCAQGV YCDHLPWQSAVG 111 N F -n/a- 179 T Q HRK 114 P V -n/a- 180S -n/a- YRK 115 I Q -n/a- 182 Y -n/a- H 116 N DQAF -n/a- 183 M K -n/a-117 F L -n/a- 184 Q H YPG 118 F CSLQ -n/a- 185 E -n/a- K 119 Q HKS -n/a-186 T I -n/a- 122 M V VC 187 T D D 123 T L H 188 L I TG 124 E N SPQ 189C DYIWTKMFPQ IKQTV 125 A VNITPKLGS VQD 194 L AMVSTYC C 126 I CVLS -n/a-195 I FMV MV 127 L FMC V 196 A G G 128 Q K IE 198 L EQWTMI WT 129 D NIEQL 200 L IFCM YICMF 130 M W -n/a- 201 A QLM MQ 132 L NFTHEMYQ KNFTH 203L VDGECTMA *YTCMA 133 Y T FH 204 I FACMTGV DCMNTG 136 V MITH FMDRN 205 KHR H 137 Y HAFNR HAFQSLN 206 S A -n/a- 138 A G -n/a- 207 N GA G 139 E SAITVN 209 Q E YT 140 Q RN TR 210 S NC -n/a- 141 Y IMQSEWVFACKLHRIMQSEWVF 211 L GMCTVA CTV 142 L CFANQMIRKGYHW VFATNQCMIRK 212 K C -n/a-143 T -n/a- AYV 213 D E E 144 Q RLMEGFDATV RNLMHPSECG 214 L IM IM 145 NCMAQIFGDEVHWY CLRMAQSIFGDEV 215 W Y Y 146 P VTW CQLYKVNFE 216 R KA K 147L PQGKVTMFRI PWQHG 217 T VAPICQM IFDQCAKV 148 P MRVFT MRVCFTQH 219 G SACCHAQ 149 R -n/a- LQGP 220 T -n/a- C 150 Y WAGFHSVCMNDEQK WAGFHSV 222 V TA 151 A GS REGCS 223 D E NS 154 H -n/a- CL 224 I V V 155 A QM -n/a- 227T NI N 157 H YFT SWY 228 T -n/a- C 158 P VE VGS 229 M F -n/a- 159 T-n/a- PR 234 F -n/a- Y 160 D -n/a- YWC 235 Q CNHGWYATEM AHCEWMTFG 161 IAVLQ AVLYHK 237 L I IV 162 A LVCKT GMSLIYVCQ 238 Q CMHVL MTHIL 163 E-n/a- KGD 239 N GSA G 164 M -n/a- E 240 N CHMA WSCAMH 165 K -n/a- RTFC302 P K -n/a- 166 R -n/a- A 303 N CRG ADSHERKLQ 167 F -n/a- R 304 K-n/a- Y 168 V LTIM L 305 P H -n/a- 169 G -n/a- D 306 A QC -n/a- 170 L-n/a- D 307 K R -n/a- 171 T A P 308 Y V -n/a- 172 L I SAR 310 I WML L173 A LSG LMSIG 311 K L -n/a- 174 M ATQ WASG 312 I FCALTVGM CAMLV 175 G-n/a- APC 313 L FQIEHCYMV IHQM 176 L -n/a- DM 314 A DQET T 177 I RVA RLV315 L IVM M 178 K -n/a- RG 316 V IA TC 179 A TKSVR TK 317 D C C 180 N-n/a- TSQ 318 A TLECV CV 181 S -n/a- A 319 K CGNHMALQVSDT SDICATQV 182 LVIQTWR SVI 320 N ALVRDTQCS RATGHCMVLK 184 S -n/a- Y 321 F HRNYWDGEMKAQNHKMYW 185 Y -n/a- T 322 Y F FM 187 D GI LMQNGFH 323 V ILTM MIALT 188 TRQSMHIV RC 324 V NACILTKYHFSQM GIYHFAMTQLK 189 T CNLKQVAWYGFSCNLKHQVAWYG 325 N -n/a- HCK 190 T C NW 326 L GCA AMC 191 V -n/a- AELMQI327 E NQCHDWFLA NHMQT 192 L VCHM VICH 328 V TIMP TAL 193 S PTRKGDNFHPTRKQGYDN 330 A KVP SPCTLV 194 I VP LHRGCV 331 G -n/a- A 195 P G SGR 332K -n/a- CQ 196 V LSWAF MI 333 Q PTMH SM 197 F -n/a- SML 334 P H -n/a-198 S R AK 335 S HTYKMAGCQLV NPKYMAECHTQV 199 A HGNCKRQWSM HGNCIKR 336 GPVS -n/a- 200 T CIMLNWVQYH CRIMLNWV 337 P WEHIAMNDKQ DGSCKMALV 201 M-n/a- C 339 A G -n/a- 202 S A PA 340 V G -n/a- 203 R -n/a- V 341 S NCPA-n/a- 204 N -n/a- PT 342 N Q -n/a- 205 R -n/a- L 343 R SKG -n/a- 206 Y-n/a- P 344 P GNCSA GSNA 207 Q -n/a- T 345 F STAQGC PAKMC 208 L Q PG 346E IQN -n/a- 209 L IM IMA 347 V L -n/a- 210 L H A 349 E TD TG 211 RTCQ/ASK TCQASK 352 I V -n/a- 212 F YNM CAYN 353 Q NET -n/a- 213 L -n/a-PM 355 V F -n/a- 214 H -n/a- NYMQASE 356 A R -n/a- 215 F WE Q 357 R W-n/a- 216 N -n/a- Q 359 H -n/a- GC 217 N E Q 361 N TCQM VCM 218 N VRTCVRGIPDE 362 V -n/a- L 219 A WGEV DTLQWIMY 365 D YKT T 220 T EI ADEL 367W YF -n/a- 221 A M VC 368 F -n/a- Y 222 V TILK QPTILSK 369 T SA -n/a-223 P -n/a- TS 370 G HQ -n/a- 224 P QDS QMDVR*EK 371 Y -n/a- P 225 D KYLKEPGRMAN 372 E -n/a- PT 226 Q R AP 373 L VIST TI 227 P VDASTNF VHGDAES374 M G -n/a- 228 G -n/a- HTRQ 375 L C -n/a- 229 H LP VD 376 H YAK Q 230D -n/a- Q 379 N GA -n/a- 231 R P -n/a- 380 E WC T 233 H PV FPW 381 Y-n/a- HL 234 K -n/a- ALCDVE 382 R NK K 235 L IV IV 385 S -n/a- -n/a- 236R -n/a- Q 386 V TICL TLIC 237 P Q -n/a- 387 G -n/a- S 238 L -n/a- VDN388 T -n/a- V 239 I V L 389 V IMTL MAL 240 D N HVR 391 K -n/a- IMTPL 242L IAE*FRS NWIAE 392 N RFV HFVQ 243 S GTLQ GT 394 R HKT PMTA 244 E RNHLMQRFVDNHLM 395 Q PFECVA HSYPA 245 R QITECP QKNI 398 E -n/a- QA 246 F SRLSR 399 S NEKHDYGQRTAV KMQG 247 A RECSQHV RECGSNQ 400 F GCPWLYM YWM 248 ASLHCNIQY SLMHCDN 401 I VCKT WK 249 V TPIAY TPMID 402 R YKDFGNEMSQTCLVSEQFK 250 Y PHT PHT 403 T WAVFLYNGCISMQK NFGICEQVL 251 T ISKVLMQDISNYKVR 404 D ISENHCMGAQLPV WMESFANLGVQP 252 P L L 405 R NTL G 253 CRTLHNGDQVM RTLHNGDQ 406 Q FG ICE 254 Q MVL RH 407 P KTIQMV K 255 N -n/a-A 408 N FIAEMSDYHCQVWL IAPEKLHV 256 I VC V 409 S HYNIDFTC QDNT 257 C VYRV 410 S THY TC 258 I DRH DRH 411 V EQHDS -n/a- 259 D TR TR 412 F AW-n/a- 260 E V V 414 F W -n/a- 261 S A A 415 Q N AN 262 L SA SA 416 K-n/a- S 263 L VAMRD VAM 418 I C -n/a- 264 L VPDKMR VS 419 T FICS -n/a-265 F YK EHYW 420 L M -n/a- 266 K GRA GR 424 A -n/a- D 267 G PL P 426 K-n/a- T 268 R A ACHYQK 428 N S H 269 L SIVCQ SIVC 430 V -n/a- D 270 QVKACPLIEGYNTW VHKACPL 432 V Y THMC 271 F VPT VP 433 V -n/a- L 272 RKILSVC K 434 M Q A 273 Q MVE MVITN 436 T -n/a- S 274 Y HI H 440 D SCMLVSIKCAQ 275 I PLM PL 441 N FRMGCDL GFAVLW 276 P IRAWCL IR 442 S YKFVLKGFCYWV 277 S EAK EA 443 I EFV AYK 278 K AL A 444 D QIMV MA 279 R YQKVGSY 445 E PYHCGKMQL CGMKPNLTW 280 A S S 446 S -n/a- EAMDYCPLWG 281 R LYLYK 447 T -n/a- QS 282 Y LQGCVHSNT LQGCEVH 448 G WYHCTV NWQ 283 G YI YAI449 E APTL HGTCIL 284 I QVGLF QV 450 K -n/a- T 285 K I I 451 QVENDSRYHGFCITPMWL ENTRCSMYAW 286 F LT L 452 K IFVL -n/a- 287 Y QKSFWQKSF 454 E -n/a- C 288 K TADFLC T 455 M QCLV PGCVI 289 L CTRGYVE CTR 456I ACMLTV V 290 C TVQ T 457 T CGA A 291 E VD VCND 458 F ADC A 292 S RVA R461 S KGEDYA KTL 293 S NDHTWAK NDHTWAK 464 A S T 294 S RNGT RCNGT 466 VTC C 295 G TDSL TDS 468 V QMT CT 296 Y HF HF 469 V TAHCL HACT 297 TCPVMLD CPVML 471 E Q -n/a- 298 S EVMKGLNCQA EVMKGLNCQA 472 L KQM -n/a-299 Y HKCREGAN HKCREGA 473 C GSQT IGSTM 300 F YM VCIYM 474 A CQMGT CTV301 L -n/a- -n/a- 475 N -n/a- S 302 I -n/a- V 477 N -n/a- D 304 E HDHSQC 483 K R N 305 G -n/a- E 484 R -n/a- HK 306 K -n/a- NL 485 WFYTDKEQMV -n/a- 307 D -n/a- F 486 P -n/a- EMA 308 S -n/a- RG 488 T KV V309 K -n/a- GCHMLQE 489 L YIV CTV 310 L R IRV 491 Y V -n/a- 311 D -n/a-FHYWSNRILC 492 G A A 312 P -n/a- C 493 V HQWMIL IML 313 P SMLY VSFKMHE496 M D L 314 G ASIHL NQM 499 I DHWTCEMALV CWV 315 C -n/a- SR 502 C SYML-n/a- 316 P N RDA 503 I MALQF QFL 317 P DLK DNFMHCGVALKE 505 Y -n/a- Q318 D RL NTAFKQHRCWEM 507 T RDDSGKIMECAL DIMECAVL 319 L CVF CIDVAM 509 KH -n/a- 320 T CGSNKHMV CGSRNKQ 510 N KGA QGK 321 V I INT 511 V KA CTEKA322 S -n/a- ICT 512 T MA MCA 323 G -n/a- A 513 I V M 324 K G SR 514 K-n/a- P 325 I -n/a- L 515 R K -n/a- 326 V -n/a- WT 516 T -n/a- S 327 W-n/a- M 517 E DA NKAQ 328 E SHKVWFQLT SYIHRKVWADFMCQ 521 S HKQGE HCGETK329 L -n/a- GM 523 G QTAMSC TMSICLA 330 I AV M 524 L KM HIYM 331 S AGQPAKWNDRG 525 S Q CNDTQ 332 P Q KGD 527 I MV M 333 L M WFM 528 Y NWMQKVIGDNAQMER 334 L V VMC 529 E D -n/a- 335 G K LCNEA 531 L -n/a- M 336 QYNMATL YNIGFEMVCH 532 H M CV 338 F SHP SYH 533 S IMELVA WMIQEVA 339 H-n/a- QR 535 N GVL SCMFVL 340 L V V 536 K A -n/a- 342 V -n/a- GC 537 K M-n/a- 343 D AN -n/a- 539 N HGC -n/a- 344 N MGS RQTMG 540 I FM M 345 F GYW 542 T CAR HRK 346 Y S S 543 Y CWI MQACRH 347 S V T 545 R -n/a- H 348S -n/a- T 546 Q F C 349 I -n/a- V 549 E KCIQA HCMQSFLA 351 L H R 550 KRMQ -n/a- 352 F C -n/a- 551 Q A -n/a- 353 T -n/a- SCV 552 L -n/a- I 354A VWD VCRWEKHG 553 G TA HP 355 L T -n/a- 554 E D YCL 356 Y C H 555 P EDYDC 357 C QHWNIVMRF DQHWNIV 556 S GV I 358 L AFERQVHCMY AFKERQNIVH 557 PWTSAQK DKGNLV 359 D ALHRSQE ALHMR 558 R K SMQ 360 T P PLYSP 559 H KSCSIWK 361 P -n/a- QS 560 V FPI HYKIP 362 A -n/a- P 561 N P QGA 363 C-n/a- W 562 V Y ISM 364 G -n/a- D 563 P ITKE DE 366 I -n/a- L 564 G LQPCF 367 N -n/a- TGR 565 R K -n/a- 368 R -n/a- TAWKP 566 Y M -n/a- 369 D-n/a- RVAQSLML 567 V IH N 371 K -n/a- A 570 Q F N 372 G -n/a- FY 571 DSFVQM NSMTAV 373 L -n/a- MI 573 P K MT 375 R -n/a- SQKAVPT 574 Y V A 376A -n/a- TCLVEIMGK 575 K -n/a- H 377 L -n/a- VI 576 K W I 378 L -n/a-ITMCKYV 581 K H -n/a- 379 D -n/a- A 583 S M -n/a- 380 K -n/a- LAFTVE 585N -n/a- SKGL 381 K -n/a- LPVRITN 586 A E NH 382 L -n/a- VC 588 A GRF-n/a- 383 N -n/a- LIDFPVESGAHK 593 M -n/a- I 384 R -n/a- C 594 E C -n/a-385 G -n/a- NWAMCHYSKQ 597 K -n/a- W 387 T -n/a- RE 598 F M -n/a- 388 Y-n/a- FV 599 L Y -n/a- 389 A -n/a- YF 601 E V FQW 390 L -n/a- V 602 NGRQHTEDS GTQMEH 392 K -n/a- YMWC 603 C D -n/a- 393 N -n/a- EA 604 A IDTSI 394 E -n/a- F 605 E RWKMPYCHAQSV PYAMRWHQVIGK 397 A -n/a- SIFLCVM606 L VQYAEGCKNHM EQCYANWMVK 399 K -n/a- ASH 607 D VYCNWTAHQELKGHQTYWCANLEKG 400 F -n/a- C 608 S EDRM QWRCV 401 F -n/a- YD 609 SRWHVQGTKN WHTGNYKV 402 D -n/a- G 610 L TIKGAWDQSFN DSI 405 N -n/a- VD406 L -n/a- GTM 409 L -n/a- I 422 R G QLKWSM 423 V NPTFHCS GARLNPTFHC424 G CNSL CKQYPWNTHS 425 E -n/a- SAWCAPGH 426 P LKYF TWLVCSQHKYN 428 KRQ NTFR 429 N GPYM GWPYEHRAMS 430 K R QPR 431 P LQ LTC 432 L TMF HTSQMN434 S A AT 435 K LTR YMHISVLA 436 E QAMLY WHCQAFML 438 S QA QMA 439 KLMR HALMCR 440 Y FLT WQFLH 442 G -n/a- W 443 G V V 444 V -n/a- C 446 RLMK HTLMK 447 T SAC QSNAGC 450 L MVA MIVE 451 Q LMF ALMF 452 H -n/a- AS455 N D E 457 T -n/a- C 458 R -n/a- * 460 T S A 461 R YQKT Y 462 AMTYFKRQHE MTYNFCKRQH 464 Y -n/a- QW 465 K VHM VHT 467 V TCA KTC 468 G SFCST 469 I V NV 470 Y H -n/a- 471 L VM FCVM 472 I VLW VMLFW 473 Q -n/a- D474 M AT IQAT 475 A STG -n/a- 476 L M IVNFMCQ 477 R AQ HV 478 N -n/a- K479 S L L 480 Y HF H 482 V L L 483 Y T T 484 K G GEAFVS 485 A CQV C 486A EHCV R 487 V NTR NCMW 488 P EHKQFM ELND 489 G -n/a- YFQ 490 P GTHAKLGTCIMH 491 K QVGCLM QVIGW 492 L -n/a- VQ 493 S ATPI GA 494 Y F M 495 YFL MF 496 K H VQ 497 Y T -n/a- 498 Q CM VLGHTCEM 499 L HACVQTRNWHGACVQKTR 500 Q ECRHA ETCRFMVH 501 I LMVS TLM 502 L IMVG FIMV 503 PHENCASLQ HENCV 504 A NMVIPWDQLTKGFHYS NMVIPWDQLTK 505 L MC M 506 L MICHQMI 507 F VWHMK IV 508 G QTYR IS 509 G NLRMKQHIPCFA TNWLRMKQ 510 V MCANHKM 511 E TMILP TYQMF 512 E SYMKVARLTI SGP 513 Q YFVNISKW YFVPMAE 514 TQVHFMRP QWNVHFMGR 515 V FTRAL KFHS 516 P -n/a- LM 517 E MVAKL MGVASI 518M SHLFTA IRSHLWFVG 519 P WR FWMND 520 P WRMFQVGDKY WERMLTFQVGDK 521 SAHCVW TKFAHG 522 D AR VNEAFH 523 N WAGSPM WQALKGDHSFC 524 V PMA PH 525 AQLIR QMLNI 527 L VHMRANFW SYVHTCMRAIQ 528 I LKVFQHNTG RLKVFAMQHY 529 G-n/a- MAHDLVWC 530 K QG MVQR 531 H RP -n/a- 532 F CMVQ CIHYRNMKVTA 533 IVF MVTSFGE 534 D EQLRVCMNAGF THEQLKRVCMNSA 535 T SRALV SRCAFLGVHKINMW536 L Q DMIQHSRKEVF 537 P -n/a- NF 538 P -n/a- TAFGVYKW 539 T SNL SMKQI540 P KH KEVRMFN 541 G -n/a- K 542 K -n/a- QNYHT 543 Q -n/a- T 544 R-n/a- FD 545 P -n/a- T 546 Q T TAVYN 547 K -n/a- T 548 G -n/a- DE 549 C-n/a- AY 550 K N NPCSFLT 551 V -n/a- AYM 552 C -n/a- H 553 R K NMTVHK554 K VT VMACLGYFIPE 555 R HV ELKHVGDIFMTN 556 G SCN VMFDSKCQA 557 IKFSV RNHQLKPFCG 558 R G GL 559 R H HIVLTGKEYSWMFQN 560 D G TRLHSVMAGNC561 T V SVAQI 562 R -n/a- VK 563 Y -n/a- AFNSGR 564 Y TV GMFTNQ 565 C-n/a- V 566 P VHKQ VHGASMK 567 K ML MLQVT 568 C -n/a- W 569 P YTVLYSEMTF 570 R F VLMTYK 571 N VDMK FVWTDMYK 572 P -n/a- VNQF 573 G -n/a-RCA 574 L M TMIP 575 C H H 576 F LKVDWMCR LKQAVYDWNMGCIER 577 K LGDRHYIEVLGDRNHYI 578 P SENTQVM SCKENGID 579 C -n/a- Y 580 F M EAH 581 EIWRSGVHAC ILWRFQSGDTVM 582 I VKRMG NEVKAQ 583 Y L CFDQ 584 H -n/a- L 585T G QHANCY 586 Q LCRYHFENKGAW LVTDMCRYHFENKGA 587 L FDRIPNESYMQGWKTFDRIPNESYMQGWKT 588 H RK SMWRGE 589 Y VCKMIEDQR SCVFHKNWGPMI

TABLE 5 A B D E G H I left right C DNA transposase F transposase DNA RNAJ K L 1 SEQ* SEQ* transposon (ng) SEQ* nls promoter (ng) (ng) GFP1 GFP2GFP3 2 35 36 136214 500 no N/A N/A 0 0 4 5 6 3 35 36 136214 500 698  noN/A 160 0 468 458 476 4 1 11 202970 500 no N/A N/A 0 0 6 6 5 5 1 11202970 500 48 yes CMV 160 0 1079 1086 1137 6 1 11 202970 500 48 yes PGK160 0 248 269 244 7 1 11 202970 500 48 yes UBB 160 0 179 188 196 8 1 11202970 500 48 yes SV40 160 0 1305 1247 1293 9 1 11 202970 500 48 yes N/A0 125 74 78 78 10 1 11 202970 500 48 yes N/A 0 250 262 252 249 11 1 11202970 500 48 yes N/A 0 500 328 347 342 12 1 11 202970 500 48 yes N/A 01000 45 40 45 13 3 12 192462 500 no N/A N/A 0 0 5 6 6 14 3 12 192462 50048 yes CMV 160 0 820 873 915 15 3 12 192462 500 48 yes PGK 160 0 44 4240 16 3 12 192462 500 48 yes UBB 160 0 29 31 31 17 3 12 192462 500 48yes SV40 160 0 1535 1523 1537 18 3 12 192462 500 48 yes N/A 0 125 13 1415 19 3 12 192462 500 48 yes N/A 0 250 97 113 115 20 3 12 192462 500 48yes N/A 0 500 283 271 277 21 3 12 192462 500 48 yes N/A 0 1000 31 31 30N/A N/A N/A 0 no N/A N/A 0 0 2 5 4 *SEQ ID NO.

TABLE 6 A B C E F H I left reporter right D DNA transposase G DNA RNA JK L 1 SEQ* SEQ* SEQ* transposon (ng) SEQ* nls (ng) (ng) GFP1 GFP2 GFP3 235 39 36 136214 500 no N/A 0 0 7 7 9 3 35 39 36 136214 500 698 no 160 057 59 60 4 23 39 29 192465 500 407 yes 0 0 6 6 5 5 23 39 29 192465 500407 yes 0 125 37 35 35 6 23 39 29 192465 500 407 yes 0 250 786 783 792 723 39 29 192465 500 407 yes 0 500 903 908 934 8 23 39 29 192465 500 407yes 0 1000 184 198 225 9 23 39 29 192465 500 407 yes 125 0 311 322 33610 23 39 29 192465 500 407 yes 250 0 254 260 272 11 23 39 29 192465 500407 yes 500 0 174 176 193 12 23 40 29 194093 500 no N/A 0 0 884 911 93613 23 40 29 194093 500 407 yes 0 125 2861 2533 2830 14 23 40 29 194093500 407 yes 0 250 4123 3907 4074 15 23 40 29 194093 500 407 yes 0 5005668 5564 5554 16 23 40 29 194093 500 407 yes 0 1000 7387 7062 7355 1723 40 29 194093 500 407 yes 125 0 7863 7281 7000 18 23 40 29 194093 500407 yes 250 0 7684 8043 8335 19 23 40 29 194093 500 407 yes 500 0 82017826 7684 20 N/A N/A N/A N/A 0 no N/A 0 0 4 4 4 *SEQ ID NO.

TABLE 7 A E F H I J Linker B C D Promoter Intron G intergenic EnhancerPromoter Row SEQ* Gene GFP RFP 1 1 polyA1 insulator 2 2 1 N/A 188550 noyes EF1a EF1a globin (rabbit) N/A N/A N/A 2 N/A 181650 yes no EF1a EF1aglobin (rabbit) N/A N/A N/A 3 N/A 146674 yes yes EF1a EF1a N/A N/A N/AN/A 4 1051 188209 yes yes EF1a EF1a N/A N/A N/A N/A 5 1062 206694 yesyes EF1a EF1a N/A N/A N/A N/A 6 1063 206695 yes yes EF1a EF1a N/A N/AN/A N/A 7 1064 206696 yes yes EF1a EF1a N/A N/A N/A N/A 8 1011 203906yes yes EF1a EF1a HSV-TK/gastrin no CMV EF1a 9 1023 203907 yes yes EF1aEF1a HSV-TK/gastrin no CMV actin 10 1025 203909 yes yes EF1a EF1aHSV-TK/gastrin no no EF1a 11 998 203910 yes yes EF1a EF1a HSV-TK/gastrinno CMV CMV 12 1002 203914 yes yes EF1a EF1a HSV-TK/gastrin 2xHS4c CMVGAPDH 13 1000 203912 yes yes EF1a EF1a HSV-TK/gastrin no CMV GAPDH 141001 203913 yes yes EF1a EF1a HSV-TK/gastrin 2xHS4c no EF1a 15 1024203908 yes yes EF1a EF1a HSV-TK/gastrin no no EF1a 16 1003 203915 yesyes EF1a EF1a HSV-TK/gastrin 2xHS4c CMV CMV 17 999 203911 yes yes EF1aEF1a HSV-TK/gastrin no CMV CMV 18 1004 203916 yes yes EF1a EF1aHSV-TK/gastrin 2xHS4c no EF1a 19 1005 203917 yes yes EF1a EF1aHSV-TK/gastrin no no EF1a 20 1006 203918 yes yes EF1a EF1aHSV-TK/gastrin 2xHS4c CMV GAPDH 21 1007 203919 yes yes EF1a EF1aHSV-TK/gastrin no CMV GAPDH 22 1008 203920 yes yes EF1a EF1aHSV-TK/gastrin 2xHS4c CMV GAPDH 23 1009 207390 yes yes EF1a EF1aHSV-TK/gastrin no CMV GAPDH K Intron L M N O P Q Row 2 pA2 GFP RFP R/GORF2/ORF1 D % 1 N/A N/A 4 1564 N/A N/A 0.00 2 N/A N/A 8542 2 N/A N/A1.00 3 N/A globin (rabbit) 1508 322 0.21 1.00 0.18 4 N/A globin (rabbit)9964 741 0.07 0.33 1.17 5 N/A globin (rabbit) 6248 604 0.10 0.48 0.73 6N/A globin (rabbit) 6206 529 0.09 0.43 0.73 7 N/A globin (rabbit) 6280586 0.09 0.43 0.74 8 no globin (rabbit) 1830 117 0.06 0.29 0.21 9 noglobin (rabbit) 1982 97 0.05 0.24 0.23 10 no globin (rabbit) 2714 800.03 0.14 0.32 11 CMVc globin (rabbit) 1613 565 0.35 1.67 0.19 12 GAPDHglobin (rabbit) 2432 688 0.28 1.33 0.29 13 eMLP globin (rabbit) 2150 3160.15 0.71 0.25 14 EF1a globin (rabbit) 2853 1504 0.53 2.52 0.33 15 EF1aglobin (rabbit) 2795 252 0.09 0.43 0.33 16 no globin (rabbit) 2505 1420.06 0.29 0.29 17 no globin (rabbit) 1012 118 0.12 0.57 0.12 18 eMLPglobin (rabbit) 3430 537 0.16 0.76 0.40 19 eMLP globin (rabbit) 2390 1850.08 0.38 0.28 20 CMVc globin (rabbit) 1903 533 0.28 1.33 0.22 21 CMVcglobin (rabbit) 2169 310 0.14 0.67 0.25 22 no globin (rabbit) 2046 4100.20 0.95 0.24 23 no globin (rabbit) 2087 226 0.11 0.52 0.24 *SEQ ID NO.

TABLE 8 B C D E F G H I J K L A Transposon Linker Transposon TransposonEnhancer Promoter Intron intergenic Enhancer Promoter Row SEQ* 1 2 GFPRFP 1 1 1 polyA1 insulator 2 2 1 N/A 187151 N/A yes no CMV CMV noneglobin (rabbit) N/A N/A N/A 2 N/A 187151 N/A yes no CMV CMV none globin(rabbit) N/A N/A N/A 3 1051 188209 N/A yes yes none EF1a EF1a N/A N/Anone none 4 1051 188209 N/A yes yes none EF1a EF1a N/A N/A none none 51054 188219 N/A yes yes none EF1a EF1a N/A N/A none none 6 1054 188219N/A yes yes none EF1a EF1a N/A N/A none none 7 998 198833 N/A yes yesCMV CMV none HSV-TK none CMV CMV 8 998 198833 N/A yes yes CMV CMV noneHSV-TK none CMV CMV 9 999 198834 N/A yes yes CMV CMV none HSV-TK noneCMV CMV 10 999 198834 N/A yes yes CMV CMV none HSV-TK none CMV CMV 111000 198835 N/A yes yes CMV CMV none HSV-TK none CMV GAPDH 12 1000198835 N/A yes yes CMV CMV none HSV-TK none CMV GAPDH 13 1001 198836 N/Ayes yes CMV CMV none HSV-TK 2x HS4 none EF1a core 14 1001 198836 N/A yesyes CMV CMV none HSV-TK 2x HS4 none EF1a core 15 1002 198837 N/A yes yesCMV CMV none HSV-TK 2x HS4 CMV GAPDH core 16 1002 198837 N/A yes yes CMVCMV none HSV-TK 2x HS4 CMV GAPDH core 17 1003 198838 N/A yes yes CMV CMVnone HSV-TK 2x HS4 CMV CMV core 18 1003 198838 N/A yes yes CMV CMV noneHSV-TK 2x HS4 CMV CMV core 19 N/A 200967 N/A no yes CMV CMV none globin(rabbit) N/A N/A N/A 20 N/A 200967 N/A no yes CMV CMV none globin(rabbit) N/A N/A N/A 21 N/A 187151 200967 yes yes CMV CMV none globin(rabbit) N/A N/A N/A 22 N/A 187151 200967 yes yes CMV CMV none globin(rabbit) N/A N/A N/A M N Transposon P Q R S T U Intron O GFP ExpressionRFP Expression Row 2 pA2 Transposase 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 N/A N/A no 70 66 65 22 2 2 N/A N/A yes 1250 1083 1330 1 2 1 3 none globin (rabbit) no 706 660698 62 60 66 4 none globin (rabbit) yes 6764 4922 5238 643 467 480 5none globin (rabbit) no 307 370 375 32 38 36 6 none globin (rabbit) yes3656 4019 4243 407 452 474 7 CMVc globin (rabbit) no 20 17 17 15 12 17 8CMVc globin (rabbit) yes 87 94 99 113 120 126 9 none globin (rabbit) no19 22 21 9 10 10 10 none globin (rabbit) yes 152 128 141 64 56 62 11eMLP globin (rabbit) no 26 32 27 17 17 18 12 eMLP globin (rabbit) yes272 231 222 306 257 237 13 EF1a globin (rabbit) no 38 39 36 104 94 98 14EF1a globin (rabbit) yes 320 374 449 1102 1245 1471 15 GAPDH globin(rabbit) no 67 55 55 58 45 42 16 GAPDH globin (rabbit) yes 396 470 411418 483 425 17 none globin (rabbit) no 25 27 22 11 13 10 18 none globin(rabbit) yes 280 260 245 122 118 104 19 N/A N/A no 5 5 4 4 10 11 20 N/AN/A yes 5 6 6 375 389 392 21 N/A N/A no 34 33 35 7 8 8 22 N/A N/A yes546 583 628 186 196 197 *SEQ ID NO.

TABLE 9 B C D E F G H I A HEK HEK HEK HEK # CHO CHO CHO CHO # IRES RFP/IRES GFP measure- RFP/ IRES GFP measure- Row SEQ* GFP efficiency % mentsGFP efficiency % ments 1 1050 0.07 0.22 0.39 3 0.08 0.28 0.15 4 2 10510.12 0.41 0.44 4 0.11 0.38 0.29 4 3 1052 0.10 0.35 0.25 4 0.04 0.13 0.475 4 1053 0.05 0.17 0.39 3 0.05 0.17 0.25 4 5 1065 0.08 0.27 0.26 2 0.090.30 0.14 2 6 1066 0.07 0.23 0.51 4 0.02 0.08 0.62 4 7 1067 0.00 0.010.31 2 0.01 0.05 0.21 2 8 1068 0.08 0.25 0.48 3 0.02 0.06 0.58 4 9 10690.03 0.08 0.21 1 0.01 0.02 0.39 1 10 1070 0.01 0.04 0.15 1 0.00 0.010.26 1 11 1071 0.13 0.45 0.46 3 0.09 0.28 0.54 3 12 1072 0.07 0.23 0.162 0.02 0.08 0.58 3 13 1073 0.06 0.19 0.58 2 0.07 0.24 0.25 3 14 10740.03 0.10 0.54 1 0.04 0.14 0.38 2 15 1075 0.12 0.39 0.37 2 0.05 0.150.72 3 16 1076 0.11 0.35 0.32 1 0.04 0.15 0.79 2 17 1077 0.03 0.11 0.331 0.01 0.05 0.66 2 18 1078 0.03 0.10 0.32 1 0.02 0.06 0.85 1 19 10790.07 0.22 0.61 2 0.03 0.12 0.64 1 20 1080 0.07 0.22 0.51 2 0.04 0.120.84 1 21 1081 0.11 0.35 0.32 1 0.04 0.12 0.67 1 22 1082 0.06 0.22 0.562 0.08 0.25 0.35 2 23 1083 0.08 0.27 0.40 2 0.10 0.33 0.25 2 24 10840.05 0.16 0.66 1 0.06 0.21 0.47 1 25 1085 0.04 0.13 0.57 1 0.04 0.140.30 1 26 1086 0.11 0.35 0.30 2 0.05 0.15 0.82 3 27 1087 0.08 0.27 0.422 0.09 0.28 0.16 2 28 1088 0.11 0.36 0.41 2 0.04 0.15 0.66 3 29 10890.02 0.06 0.38 1 0.02 0.05 0.85 1 30 1090 0.02 0.07 0.33 1 0.01 0.030.41 1 31 1091 0.00 0.01 0.21 1 0.00 0.01 0.63 1 32 1092 0.02 0.07 0.261 0.03 0.11 0.35 1 33 1093 0.07 0.23 0.25 3 0.03 0.10 0.58 4 34 10940.00 0.01 0.17 2 0.01 0.04 0.60 3 35 1096 0.06 0.18 0.29 1 nd nd nd 0*SEQ ID NO.

TABLE 10 B C plasmid Transposase D E A config- promoter DNA outgrowth F1 Construct uration SEQ* (ug) 5 hours 24 hours 2 N/A N/A N/A 0 0 0 3251587 circular 949 0.2 0 48 4 251587 circular 949 1 11 93 5 251587circular 949 2 26 276 6 251588 circular 954 0.2 13 58 7 251588 circular954 1 60 221 8 251588 circular 954 2 137 456 9 251589 circular none 0.22 0 10 251589 circular none 1 0 1 11 251589 circular none 2 1 6 12251589 linear none 1 661 ~1000 *SEQ ID NO.

TABLE 11 A E F J Xenopus B C D Weight Bombyx G H I Weight Position FromTo Weight Std Position From To Weight Std 6 Y C 0.09 0.03 85 Q E −0.010.03 7 S G 0.25 0.05 92 Q A 0.09 0.03 9 E D 0.00 0.01 92 Q L −0.06 0.0816 M S 0.23 0.05 92 Q N −0.04 0.02 18 S G −0.03 0.05 93 V L 0.35 0.08 19S G 0.05 0.02 93 V M 0.20 0.09 20 S D 0.20 0.02 96 P G 0.07 0.02 20 S G0.26 0.03 97 F C 0.03 0.03 20 S Q 0.40 0.05 97 F H 0.18 0.03 21 E D 0.380.07 165 H E 0.28 0.07 22 E Q 0.17 0.05 165 H W 0.27 0.07 23 F P 0.250.07 178 E H 0.13 0.06 23 F T 0.37 0.10 178 E S 0.29 0.04 24 S Y 0.170.05 189 C P 0.12 0.08 26 S V 0.10 0.05 196 A G 0.48 0.02 28 S Q 0.100.03 200 L F −0.10 0.08 31 V K 0.04 0.02 200 L I 0.46 0.05 34 A E 0.030.02 200 L M 0.01 0.02 67 L A 0.10 0.04 201 A Q 0.22 0.10 73 G H 0.290.06 203 L T −0.03 0.11 76 A V 0.15 0.04 207 N G −0.01 0.07 77 D N 0.110.02 211 L A 0.20 0.03 88 P A 0.05 0.02 215 W Y 0.19 0.03 91 N D 0.140.06 217 T A −0.05 0.02 141 Y A 0.14 0.03 217 T K 0.00 0.08 141 Y Q 0.330.04 219 G A −0.04 0.04 145 N E 0.03 0.02 219 G S 0.02 0.03 145 N V 0.020.03 235 Q G 0.13 0.08 146 P K 0.10 0.03 235 Q N −0.06 0.09 146 P T 0.110.04 235 Q Y 0.33 0.08 146 P V 0.11 0.03 238 Q L 0.51 0.08 148 P H 0.030.02 242 R Q −0.06 0.06 148 P T 0.42 0.04 246 K I 0.24 0.05 150 Y C 0.100.05 253 K V 0.32 0.10 150 Y G 0.25 0.05 258 M V 0.18 0.06 150 Y S 0.210.04 261 F L 0.15 0.05 157 H Y 0.37 0.06 263 S K 0.28 0.07 162 A C 0.180.06 271 C S 0.36 0.04 179 A K 0.36 0.04 303 N R 0.11 0.07 182 L I 0.270.06 312 I V −0.02 0.08 182 L V 0.16 0.08 321 F D 0.12 0.06 189 T G 0.040.03 321 F W 0.18 0.08 192 L H 0.01 0.02 323 V T 0.01 0.02 193 S K 0.030.05 324 V H 0.28 0.07 193 S N 0.03 0.03 324 V K 0.32 0.08 196 V I 0.030.02 330 A V 0.34 0.09 198 S G 0.26 0.04 333 Q M 0.00 0.04 200 T W 0.020.02 337 P A −0.02 0.03 202 S A −0.01 0.06 368 F Y −0.08 0.10 210 L H0.15 0.05 373 L C 0.25 0.06 212 F N 0.17 0.09 373 L V 0.10 0.04 218 N E0.11 0.06 389 V L 0.15 0.05 248 A N 0.50 0.05 394 R T −0.01 0.11 263 L M0.35 0.06 395 Q P −0.11 0.10 270 Q L 0.07 0.03 399 S N 0.07 0.02 294 S T0.23 0.06 402 R K 0.11 0.06 297 T M 0.18 0.07 403 T L 0.09 0.04 304 E Q−0.02 0.03 404 D I −0.02 0.01 308 S R 0.05 0.03 404 D M 0.10 0.07 310 LR 0.26 0.07 404 D Q 0.35 0.07 333 L M 0.14 0.09 404 D S 0.27 0.07 336 QM 0.02 0.05 408 N H −0.03 0.03 354 A H 0.12 0.03 409 S N −0.07 0.08 357C V 0.31 0.06 441 N R 0.02 0.08 358 L F 0.08 0.04 448 G W 0.09 0.05 359D N 0.28 0.09 449 E A 0.04 0.05 377 L I 0.10 0.08 469 V T 0.02 0.03 423V H 0.25 0.06 472 L M −0.06 0.07 426 P K 0.21 0.07 473 C Q 0.30 0.04 428K R 0.04 0.04 484 R K 0.15 0.10 434 S A −0.06 0.09 507 T C 0.17 0.03 438S A 0.08 0.05 523 G A 0.10 0.03 447 T A 0.20 0.05 527 I M 0.05 0.11 447T C −0.01 0.04 528 Y K 0.80 0.08 447 T G 0.34 0.07 543 Y I 0.20 0.06 450L V 0.8 0.05 549 E A 0.18 0.02 462 A H 0.67 0.03 550 K M 0.28 0.07 462 AQ 0.37 0.04 556 S V −0.04 0.07 467 V C −0.04 0.04 557 P S 0.22 0.06 469I V 0.21 0.05 559 H K −0.04 0.06 472 I L 0.01 0.06 560 V F −0.01 0.02476 L M −0.02 0.05 561 N P −0.04 0.05 488 P E 0.00 0.05 562 V Y −0.080.05 498 Q M 0.17 0.09 567 V H 0.00 0.05 502 L V 0.31 0.07 567 V I 0.020.05 517 E I 0.05 0.02 583 S M −0.02 0.05 520 P D 0.35 0.05 601 E V 0.310.06 520 P G 0.09 0.07 605 E C −0.11 0.09 520 P K 0.00 0.03 605 E H 0.280.05 521 S G 0.00 0.05 605 E M −0.06 0.06 523 N S 0.34 0.05 605 E W 0.050.05 533 I E 0.02 0.07 607 D C −0.05 0.02 534 D A 0.17 0.04 607 D H 0.040.03 576 F E 0.12 0.05 607 D K −0.02 0.01 576 F R 0.42 0.06 607 D N−0.02 0.04 577 K I 0.26 0.03 609 S H 0.25 0.03 582 I R 0.01 0.07 609 S V−0.02 0.01 583 Y F 0.06 0.07 610 L I 0.19 0.03 587 L W 0.03 0.07 587 L Y0.35 0.06

TABLE 12 C G H I J K L M A B Transposase D E F DNA:RNA Tran- Tran-Selec- Selec- Re- Re- 1 RNA DNA SEQ* Transposon Transposon TransposaseRatio sient sient tion tion covery covery 2 no yes 48 CMV no insulatorsN/A none N/A 1150 629 172 157 233 143 3 yes no 48 CMV no insulators 750ng 250 ng 3:1 735 976 351 916 4211 4229 4 yes no 48 CMV no insulators660 ng 330 ng 2:1 516 509 228 184 1505 822 5 yes no 48 CMV no insulators500 ng 500 ng 1:1 436 351 146 139 134 118 6 yes no 168 CMV no insulators750 ng 250 ng 3:1 1006 476 1342 2053 4229 6040 7 yes no 168 CMV noinsulators 660 ng 330 ng 2:1 842 770 1918 4350 5936 5709 8 yes no 168CMV no insulators 500 ng 500 ng 1:1 548 542 2263 1284 5162 4927 9 yes no189 CMV no insulators 750 ng 250 ng 3:1 1107 420 2073 1072 5883 5323 10yes no 189 CMV no insulators 660 ng 330 ng 2:1 837 654 1119 1796 51266111 11 yes no 189 CMV no insulators 500 ng 500 ng 1:1 664 680 3935 28536218 4647 12 yes no 175 CMV no insulators 750 ng 250 ng 3:1 872 468 34423012 5676 7511 13 yes no 175 CMV no insulators 660 ng 330 ng 2:1 928 6052479 2233 5616 5173 14 yes no 175 CMV no insulators 500 ng 500 ng 1:1644 508 3832 1840 5276 5344 15 no no none none 0 0 N/A 236 280 143 140143 122 *SEQ ID NO.

TABLE 13 F G A B C puro trans- trans- left right D E promoter posase H IJ 1 poson SEQ* SEQ* Int Seq system SEQ* SEQ* GFP1 GFP2 GFP3 2 187151 212 5′-TTAA-3′ Xenopus 937 175 875 63 979 3 187151 2 12 5′-TTAA-3′Xenopus 937 189 909 957 135 4 187151 2 12 5′-TTAA-3′ Xenopus 937 none236 84 84 5 241555 1095 11 5′-TTAA-3′ Xenopus 942 189 2594 91 3168 6241555 1095 11 5′-TTAA-3′ Xenopus 942 175 2934 3746 4365 7 241555 109511 5′-TTAA-3′ Xenopus 942 none 94 93 102 8 246143 2 12 5′-TTAA-3′Xenopus 942 175 2445 2361 2324 9 246143 2 12 5′-TTAA-3′ Xenopus 942 none66 68 63 10 194094 23 29 5′-TTAT-3′ Bombyx 937 407 426 710 630 11 19409423 29 5′-TTAT-3′ Bombyx 937 1098  708 89 741 12 194094 23 29 5′-TTAT-3′Bombyx 937 none 88 92 94 13 240671 22 30 5′-TTAA-3′ Bombyx 937 407 64189 89 14 240671 22 30 5′-TTAA-3′ Bombyx 937 1098  664 808 681 15 24067122 30 5′-TTAA-3′ Bombyx 937 none 379 94 94 16 none N/A N/A N/A none N/AN/A 87 91 87 *SEQ ID NO.

TABLE 14 A B C D Xenopus SEQ* hyperactivity Bombyx SEQ* hyperactivity228 9 654 1.3 244 7 639 1.9 247 6 634 2.0 252 6 619 3 268 5 614 3 51 0.41097 4 64 80 596 4 56 126 595 4 57 122 588 5 124 25 557 7 52 414 518 1158 116 517 11 54 127 508 12 73 58 491 15 71 64 488 15 65 79 457 31 63 91449 35 62 95 417 94 61 99 416 97 59 112 415 107 168 15 414 122 189 13413 130 175 15 412 164 118 22 211 10 216 9 *SEQ ID NO.

TABLE 15 E G H puro F L R K A B C pro- GFP insu- insu- Bombyx trans-left right D moter pro- lator lator I J Transposase L M N O P Q posonSEQ* SEQ* Int Seq SEQ* moter SEQ* SEQ* RNA DNA SEQ* A600 A600 A600 GFPGFP GFP 1 194094 23 29 5′-TTAT-3′ 937 CMV none none yes no 1098  0.440.34 0.42 1947 1547 1876 2 194094 23 29 5′-TTAT-3′ 937 CMV none none noyes 415 0.34 0.27 0.32 1455 1240 1231 3 194094 23 29 5′-TTAT-3′ 937 CMVnone none no yes 457 0.28 0.34 0.30 1107 1152 1213 4 194094 23 295′-TTAT-3′ 937 CMV none none no yes 417 0.30 0.30 0.34 1061 950 1098 5194094 23 29 5′-TTAT-3′ 937 CMV none none no yes 412 0.31 0.33 0.35 8601049 1143 6 194094 23 29 5′-TTAT-3′ 937 CMV none none no yes 416 0.320.29 0.35 1016 910 1004 7 194094 23 29 5′-TTAT-3′ 937 CMV none none noyes 407 0.31 0.30 0.30 943 800 866 8 194094 23 29 5′-TTAT-3′ 937 CMVnone none no no N/A 0.02 0.04 0.04 150 171 167 9 240671 22 30 5′-TTAA-3′937 CMV none none yes no 1098  0.48 0.44 0.26 2177 1757 1016 10 24067122 30 5′-TTAA-3′ 937 CMV none none no yes 415 0.34 0.30 0.35 1525 14801514 11 240671 22 30 5′-TTAA-3′ 937 CMV none none no yes 457 0.29 0.340.31 1257 1191 1144 12 240671 22 30 5′-TTAA-3′ 937 CMV none none no yes412 0.34 0.29 0.28 1001 1032 897 13 240671 22 30 5′-TTAA-3′ 937 CMV nonenone no yes 416 0.27 0.33 0.29 917 874 953 14 240671 22 30 5′-TTAA-3′937 CMV none none no yes 407 0.32 0.26 0.27 1006 784 885 15 240671 22 305′-TTAA-3′ 937 CMV none none no yes 417 0.27 0.25 0.23 800 859 777 16240671 22 30 5′-TTAA-3′ 937 CMV none none no no N/A 0.03 0.17 0.06 178261 168 17 246143 22 30 5′-TTAA-3′ 942 CMV none none no yes 415 0.000.00 0.00 102 109 142 18 246143 22 30 5′-TTAA-3′ 942 CMV none none noyes 412 0.00 0.00 0.00 114 103 107 19 246143 22 30 5′-TTAA-3′ 942 CMVnone none no yes 416 0.00 −0.01 0.00 109 102 106 20 246143 22 305′-TTAA-3′ 942 CMV none none no yes 417 0.00 0.00 0.00 106 100 98 21246143 22 30 5′-TTAA-3′ 942 CMV none none no yes 407 0.00 −0.01 0.00 10598 101 22 246143 22 30 5′-TTAA-3′ 942 CMV none none yes no 1098  −0.010.00 0.00 99 104 96 23 246143 22 30 5′-TTAA-3′ 942 CMV none none no yes457 0.00 0.00 0.00 97 101 100 24 246143 22 30 5′-TTAA-3′ 942 CMV nonenone no no N/A 0.00 0.00 0.00 109 105 104 25 246170 22 30 5′-TTAA-3′ 942EF1a 864 860 no yes 415 0.18 0.00 0.04 5477 162 1559 26 246170 22 305′-TTAA-3′ 942 EF1a 864 860 no yes 412 0.03 0.04 0.06 1148 1589 3145 27246170 22 30 5′-TTAA-3′ 942 EF1a 864 860 no yes 417 0.02 0.01 0.00 637683 203 28 246170 22 30 5′-TTAA-3′ 942 EF1a 864 860 no yes 416 0.00 0.020.00 146 652 217 29 246170 22 30 5′-TTAA-3′ 942 EF1a 864 860 yes no1098  0.00 0.01 0.00 237 286 118 30 246170 22 30 5′-TTAA-3′ 942 EF1a 864860 no yes 457 0.00 0.00 0.00 106 122 115 31 246170 22 30 5′-TTAA-3′ 942EF1a 864 860 no yes 407 0.00 0.00 0.00 108 101 113 32 246170 22 305′-TTAA-3′ 942 EF1a 864 860 no no N/A 0.00 0.00 0.00 108 128 114 *SEQ IDNO.

TABLE 16 B D E F puro C L R Uribo A pro- GFP insu- insu- Trans- trans-moter pro- lator lator posase G H I poson SEQ* moter SEQ* SEQ* SEQ* GFPGFP GFP 1 246143 942 CMV none none 48 94 94 112 2 246143 942 CMV nonenone 58 99 2600 111 3 246143 942 CMV none none none 107 94 98 4 246170942 EF1a 864 860 48 95 93 108 5 246170 942 EF1a 864 860 61 4075 113 94 6246170 942 EF1a 864 860 none 114 95 100 7 261961 948 EF1a 864 864 48 9697 112 8 261961 948 EF1a 864 864 57 128 2008 490 9 261961 948 EF1a 864864 none 86 104 94 *SEQ ID NO.

What is claimed is:
 1. A polynucleotide encoding a non-naturallyoccurring transposase with at least 90% sequence identity to the aminoacid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 407, wherein the transposase differs fromthe amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 407 at least by one or more of thefollowing amino acid substitutions (numbered according to SEQ ID NO:407): Q92A, V93L, V93M, P96G, F97H, F97C, H165E, H165W, E1785, E178H,C189P, A196G, L200I, L200M, A201Q, L211A, W215Y, T217K, G2195, Q235Y,Q235G, Q238L, K246I, K253V, M258V, F261L, S263K, C271S, N303R, F321W,F321D, V323T, V324K, V324H, A330V, Q333M, L373C, L373V, V389L, S399N,R402K, T403L, D404Q, D4045, D404M, N441R, G448W, E449A, V469T, C473Q,R484K, T507C, G523A, I527M, Y528K, Y543I, E549A, K550M, P5575, V567I,V567H, E601V, E605H, E605W, D607H, 5609H or L610I, and the transposasehas excision or transposition activity.
 2. The polynucleotide of claim1, wherein the transposase also differs from the amino acid sequence ofSEQ ID NO: 407 at least one of the following amino acid substitutions:Q85E, Q85M, Q85K, Q85H, Q85N, Q85T, Q85F, Q85L, Q92E, Q92P, Q92N, Q92I,Q92Y, Q92H, Q92F, Q92R, Q92D, Q92M, Q92W, Q92C, Q92G, Q92L, Q92V, Q92T,V93P, V93K, V93F, V93W, V93A, V93I, V93Q, P96A, P96T, P96M, P96R, P96V,P96E, P96Q, P96C, F97Q, F97K, F97T, F97W, F97V, F97E, F97P, F97D, F97A,F97R, F97G, F97N, F97Y, H165G, H165Q, H165T, H165M, H165V, H165L, H165C,H165N, H165D, H165K, H165A, E178Y, E178F, E178C, E178A, E178Q, E178G,E178V, E178D, E178L, E178P, E178W, C189D, C189Y, C189I, C189W, C189T,C189K, C189M, C189F, C189Q, C189V, L200I, L200F, L200C, L200Y, A201L,A201M, L203V, L203D, L203G, L203E, L203C, L203T, L203M, L203A, L203Y,N207G, N207A, L211G, L211M, L211C, L211T, L211V, T217V, T217A, T217I,T217P, T217C, T217Q, T217M, T217F, T217D, G219A, G219C, G219H, G219Q,Q235C, Q235N, Q235H, Q235W, Q235A, Q235T, Q235E, Q235M, Q235F, Q238C,Q238M, Q238H, Q238V, Q238T, Q238I, R242Q, N303C, N303G, N303A, N303D,N303S, N303H, N303E, N303R, N303K, N303L, N303Q, 1312F, 1312C, I312A,I312L, 1312T, 1312V, 1312G, 1312M, F321H, F321R, F321N, F321Y, F321G,F321E, F321M, F321K, F321A, F321Q, V323I, V323L, V323M, V323A, V324N,V324A, V324C, V324I, V324L, V324T, V324Y, V324F, V324S, V324Q, V324M,V324G, A330K, A330P, A330S, A330C, A330T, A330L, Q333P, Q333T, Q333H,Q333S, P337W, P337E, P337H, P337I, P337A, P337M, P337N, P337D, P337K,P337Q, P337G, P337S, P337C, P337L, P337V, F368Y, L373I, L373S, L373T,V389I, V389M, V389T, V389A, R394H, R394K, R394T, R394P, R394M, R394A,Q395P, Q395F, Q395E, Q395C, Q395V, Q395A, Q395H, Q395S, Q395Y, S399E,S399K, S399H, S399D, S399Y, S399G, S399Q, S399R, S399T, S399A, S399V,S399M, R402Y, R402D, R402F, R402G, R402N, R402E, R402M, R402S, R402Q,R402T, R402C, R402L, R402V, T403W, T403A, T403V, T403F, T403Y, T403N,T403G, T403C, T403I, T403S, T403M, T403Q, T403K, T403E, D404I, D404E,D404N, D404H, D404C, D404G, D404A, D404L, D404P, D404V, D404W, D404F,N408F, N408I, N408A, N408E, N408M, N408S, N408D, N408Y, N408H, N408C,N408Q, N408V, N408W, N408L, N408P, N408K, S409H, S409Y, S409N, S409I,S409D, S409F, S409T, S409C, S409Q, N441F, N441M, N441G, N441C, N441D,N441L, N441A, N441V, N441W, G448Y, G448H, G448C, G448T, G448V, G448N,G448Q, E449P, E449T, E449L, E449H, E449G, E449C, E449I, V469A, V469H,V469C, V469L, L472K, L472Q, L472M, C473G, C473T, C473I, C473M, R484H,T507R, T507D, T507S, T507G, T507K, T507I, T507M, T507E, T507L, T507V,G523Q, G523T, G523M, G523S, G523C, G523I, G523L, I527V, Y528N, Y528W,Y528M, Y528Q, Y528V, Y528I, Y528G, Y528D, Y528A, Y528E, Y528R, Y543C,Y543W, Y543M, Y543Q, Y543A, Y543R, Y543H, E549K, E549C, E549I, E549Q,E549H, E549C, E549M, E549S, E549F, E549L, K550R, K550Q, S556G, S556V,S556I, P557W, P557T, P557A, P557Q, P557K, P557D, P557G, P557N, P557L,P557V, H559K, H559S, H559C, H559I, H559W, V560F, V560P, V560I, V560H,V560Y, V560K, N561P, N561Q, N561G, N561A, V562Y, V562I, V562S, V562M,V567N, S583M, E601F, E601Q, E601W, E605R, E605K, E605M, E605P, E605Y,E605C, E605A, E605Q, E605S, E605V, E605I, E605G, D607V, D607Y, D607C,D607N, D607W, D607T, D607A, D607Q, D607E, D607L, D607K, D607G, S609R,S609W, S609V, S609Q, S609G, S609T, S609K, S609N, S609Y, L610T, L610K,L610G, L610A, L610W, L610D, L610Q, L610S, L610F, or L610N.
 3. Thepolynucleotide of claim 1, wherein the transposase comprises a sequenceselected from one of the amino acid sequences of SEQ ID NO: 409-697. 4.The polynucleotide of claim 1, wherein the transposase is fused to aheterologous nuclear localization sequence.
 5. The polynucleotide ofclaim 1, wherein the polynucleotide is an mRNA molecule.
 6. Thepolynucleotide of claim 5, wherein the mRNA comprises an anti-reversecap analog (3′-O-Me-m⁷G(5′)ppp(5′)G.
 7. The polynucleotide of claim 5,wherein the mRNA is fully substituted with pseudo-uridine.
 8. Thepolynucleotide of claim 5, wherein the mRNA is fully substituted with5-methyl-cytosine.
 9. The polynucleotide of claim 1, wherein thetransposase comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:
 415. 10. Thepolynucleotide of claim 1, wherein a promoter is linked to thepolynucleotide, wherein the polynucleotide is transcribable by a T7 RNApolymerase from the promoter, to produce an mRNA encoding thetransposase.
 11. The polynucleotide of claim 10, wherein the promotercomprises the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:
 699. 12. Thepolynucleotide of claim 10, further comprising the nucleotide sequenceof SEQ ID NO: 700 3′ to the segment of the polynucleotide encoding thetransposase.
 13. The polynucleotide of claim 1, wherein the transposasehas at least 95% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ IDNO:
 407. 14. The polynucleotide of claim 1, wherein the transposase hasat least 97% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:407.
 15. The polynucleotide of claim 1, wherein the polynucleotidecomprises a promoter operably linked to the segment of thepolynucleotide encoding the transposase.
 16. A method of creating atransgenic cell, the method comprising introducing into a eukaryoticcell (a) the polynucleotide encoding the transposase of claim 15, or amRNA expressed therefrom, and (b) a polynucleotide comprising atransposon, wherein the transposon comprises transposon ends flanking aheterologous polynucleotide, wherein one of the transposon endscomprises at least 16 contiguous bases from the nucleic acid sequence ofSEQ ID NO: 25 and the other of the transposon ends comprises at least 16contiguous bases from the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 31;wherein the transposon is integrated into the genome of the eukaryoticcell thereby creating the transgenic cell.
 17. The method of claim 16,wherein the introducing is with the mRNA.
 18. The method of claim 16,wherein the transposon of (b) comprises a gene comprising a segmentencoding a selectable marker wherein the segment is operably linked to apromoter, and the method further comprises identifying the transgeniccell by growing said eukaryotic cell under conditions that provide aselective advantage to cells expressing said selectable marker.
 19. Themethod of claim 18, wherein the promoter is at least 95% identical to anucleotide sequence selected from one of the nucleotide sequences of SEQID NOS: 937-948.
 20. The method of claim 18, wherein the selectablemarker is one of the following: glutamine synthase, dihydrofolatereductase, puromycin-N acetyl transferase, blasticidin-S deaminase,hygromycin phosphotransferase, aminoglycoside phosphotransferase,nourseothircin N-acetyl transferase, or a protein that binds to zeocin.